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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24361459">Beloved Flowers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lich_Queen/pseuds/The_Lich_Queen'>The_Lich_Queen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ERROR - 404 - Not Found [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Undertale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Aftertale (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Errortale (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Reapertale (Undertale), Anti-Void, Multiverse, Other, universes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:08:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>65,280</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24361459</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lich_Queen/pseuds/The_Lich_Queen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Error suffers from Hanahaki Disease* ... easy enough, just get rid of them. He does not need love in his line of work. However, he keeps falling in love. And keep getting plagued with flowers.</p><p> </p><p>*The Hanahaki Disease is an illness born from one-sided love, where the patient throws up and coughs up flower petals when they suffer from one-sided love. The infection can be removed through surgery, but the feelings disappear along with the petals.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Unrequited love - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ERROR - 404 - Not Found [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1759549</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>106</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Vow Arc: Carnation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error doubles over the side of the waterfall, raining down vomit of blood and petals; they mixed into the rushing waters and was lost within them. Down into the darkness, proof of their existence drips from the black skeleton's chin.</p><p>He knew what this was- Hanahaki Disease. He had seen it many times on Undernovela and he always enjoyed that sub-plot. However, this was not as fun as watching a favourite character weep over their forbidden or unreachable love.</p><p> </p><p>It hurt. A <strong>lot</strong>.</p><p> </p><p>Thankfully Error had a high pain threshold- he could walk around half dead and seem just fine to whoever viewed him.</p><p>Error reaches down and picks up a petal that had landed on his scarf, he gazes down at his scarf... and groans. Blood was such a pain to get out of clothes. But like dust, he knew a secret- Salt.</p><p>Salt was a powerful tool against dust and bloodstains. Of course, it needed to be treated right away.</p><p>Error quickly makes a portal and darts through. He came to be in the skeleton brothers' home, in their kitchen. He knew where everything was in each timeline or universe. With the salt tub in hand, he creates another portal and just time found himself in the bathroom.</p><p> </p><p>Here he removes all his clothing items and throws them into the bathtub, turning on the taps and filling it up with water.</p><p>This was a dead AU- abandoned long ago. However, it had a bug. Items could glitch in place over the course of time; it was like an invisible monster went around restoring everything up in each house around the underground.</p><p>He had even seen it once. Error had been drinking hot cocoa in the kitchen when he heard a sound- on searching the area he found the place had been restocked. The barrier was down and the humans lived their lives on the surface, so why no monsters were here he did not know.</p><p> </p><p>Turning off the tap, he waits for the water to still and then Error pours salt on the clothes.</p><p>He sat on the edge of the bathtub, completely naked, staring as blood and dust began socking into the piles of white fine powder. He brings up a hand and stares at the petal.</p><p>Thanks to the faze he went through with Undernovela, he studied flowers, so he knew this was a carnation petal. It was white with pink stripes. ... he could not recall the meaning behind it.</p><p>Error had been ignoring this for a while now, hoping it would go away on its own. He glances downwards, touching his scar that ran across his ribs like a normal genocide Sans- then brushes against the flower head that was peeking out from under his ribs. They had filled the entire cavity of his ribs, had grown down on his spine and had now started to crowd his inner bones of his pelvis.</p><p> </p><p>If he had been any other monster, he would be dead where he stood.</p><p> </p><p>Error knew this had to be dealt with, the flowers needed to go- he needed surgery. During surgery, he would be helpless and then it would take time for him to recover fully. Which meant it would give AUs time to grow and infect more of the Multiverse.</p><p>Error glances at his right humerus, near the top, was a crack was appearing.</p><p> </p><p>The glitch had never heard about it being able to grow on limps... of course, no one had even survived to pass the ribs or lungs, depending on what creature one was.</p><p> </p><p>Error grabs his wet clothes with his strings, folding them up into a bundle he opens another portal. Walking through he came into a universe that was still closed off to the rest of the multiverse, meaning the Sans living here had not fixed his machine or no traveller had revealed themselves to the inhabitants.</p><p>Error stares at the busy lobby of the hospital- then everyone seemed to notice he appears at once. And soon there was a rush of nurses coming his way, all talking and shouting orders at the same time.</p><p>Error screams at them, trying to get away from their hands. He now remembers the first reason he refuses to come, he did not want to be touched. He reaches for his sockets for his strings and then stops.</p><p> </p><p>'*grit your teeth and bear it.' A part of him told himself, he listens to that piece of him and lowers his hands, letting those around him move his glitching form onto a bed. They began firing questions at him, ones he could only half answer.</p><p> </p><p>One thing he realizes was that they were going to perform the surgery right away. Someone places something over his jaws and he felt himself relax, closes he orbits one last thought enters his mind:</p><p> </p><p>'*just who did i fall in love with?'</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Vow Arc: Lily of the Valley</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error had kept the carnations that almost brought about his death- he took them to an unnamed universe and planted them on the surface of the moon that had an atmosphere and water cycle.</p><p>Monsters were made out of love... the flowers were also made out of love, just given a strange form. But with them being removed and having no flow from his SOUL, they should die after some time. However, for some reason, his flowers continued to grow.</p><p>They covered a small area of the dusty moon surface, with green with pink strip carnations. The dark grey ground seemed to highlight the colours more. </p><p>Error felt that they should be dead, it passed the time that they should have died; he had two theories, one, his flowers was as glitchy as himself. And two, that because he kept coming back to visit them, they were continuing to draw power from his SOUL.</p><p> </p><p>After all, his SOUL was one of the strongest in the multiverse, even if it was only a piece tiny of SOUL. He had more than enough power to supply the flowers and keep himself living. </p><p> </p><p>Error watches the carnations where he stood, the wind in the moon's atmosphere moves them slightly, giving them eerily feel to this silent world. They were something born from deep within his SOUL, he had only kept them as a reminder, never to fall in love. Now they served only to mock him. </p><p> </p><p>Error had always loved learning new things, so after his surgery more than ten years ago, Error began studying the Hanahaki Disease. And found himself to be quite good at anything science, which surprised him. Once he felt he was ready, he put what he learned into practice- how to take out flowers from monsters who suffered from the Hanahaki Disease without killing them; the first few times ended badly. But that's by it was called 'practice'. Everyone is bound to make mistakes at the beginning.  </p><p> </p><p>Of course, Error never discovered just who he loved the first time... and now the second time around, he still was at a lost. Maybe because his viewpoint of all he knew never changed. Once the flowers were out, he should stop loving that monster completely. But everyone he knew, which was a small number, to begin with, he still remained the same.</p><p> </p><p>He did not think he would actually use it everything he studied of Hanahaki Disease on himself, it was just something he wanted to learn... but now...</p><p> </p><p>Error gazes down at his bare ribs- against the red ribs, black sternum and black manubrium were small pure white blub like flower heads. He had coughed them up a couple of times, but there was no blood just yet.</p><p> </p><p>Error summons a bone- he breaks opens his ribs with a grunt and then carefully began removing the flowers and their roots. Blood and dust pour down onto the ground, soaking into the ground near to where roots of the carnations below, was.</p><p>Soon the Lily of the Valley flowers will be joining them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Vow Arc: Sunflowers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error growls in anger- this was the third time; the third time he had fallen in love and the third time he was dying from that darn disease.</p><p>And the most stupid thing about the whole thing. He still does not know who it was!</p><p>Error ducks as a wave of purple paint shots overhead.</p><p> </p><p>The pain had become overbearing. The first time he was completely covered and in pain, the second time he did not wait and dug them out. This time he had been so busy with <strong>Nightmare's</strong> plan that he focuses all his attention with carrying it out and failed to notice the flowers growing under the normal pain of his glitching body.</p><p>Until he spat up blood.</p><p>And checking himself, he was shocked to discover just how far it had gone. And just how big the flowerheads were.</p><p> </p><p>Sunflowers.</p><p> </p><p>Bright yellow flowers that were hard to miss against his red and black bones. And yet somehow, he did.</p><p>Error hears the laughter of the artist and a white-hot pain flashes through his ribs, he drops to one knee with a grunt.</p><p> </p><p>"*Error?" Ink's voice calls across the hall, somewhere in the distance he could hear the sound of the battle continues on, "you okay <em>bud</em>?"</p><p> </p><p>Error glitches in rage, thinking that Ink was mocking him. </p><p>Error tries to stand, he rose up redbones to attack up ended up falling again- this time he failed to catch himself and lands smack face-first onto the floor.</p><p>Error growls loudly, he could not speak because the flowers had grown up his cervical vertebrae. It was not a surprise they had grown elsewhere, his bones had a lot of breaks in them and the scaring made it harder to grow in the second time unless many many years had gone by enough for them to heal.</p><p> </p><p>"*Error...?" Ink voice came again, this time from somewhere above him; it was then Error noticed that he had just been laying there, not even moving, "come on. There's no way you would go down at this stage of our fighting. You last longer than that!"</p><p>Error could not move, he huffs and growls darkly, then rattles loudly as he tries to move.</p><p> </p><p>"*So you're alive! Haha!" Ink said, his voice becoming closer; Error blinks and sees the artist bent knees near him, "What's wrong Error? This is not like you at all! pff-hahahahaha!"</p><p>Suddenly Ink leaps backwards and then stands there- Error almost grins- Ink thought he was playing with him. </p><p>Error really could not move. And no doubt will not be able until he returns to his flower moon to cut out these sunflowers.</p><p>"<strong>*ERROR! DUST! KILLER! ALL OF YOU FALL BACK!</strong>" <strong>Nightmare's</strong> shout came from the darkness; with all his remaining power, Error summons a portal just below him and allows himself to fall through.</p><p>He hears Ink keep calling his name, but he did not care.</p><p> </p><p>Error lands on his moon with a groan, he was still face down. Rolling on his back, he rips open his clothes and gritting his teeth, he cracks his own bones. Just as he had done all those years ago. </p><p> </p><p>An insane laugh echoes throughout the silent moon as he began painfully removing the flowers.</p><p> </p><p>A small group of sunflowers soon joined the large fields of carnations and lily of the valley.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Vow Arc: Hydrangea</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error grins boldly, he pokes Ink in the skull. The artist pouts at him and folds his arms over his chest, turning away from the glitch; Error snickers at the display.</p><p>It was one of those rare times when he and Ink were not fighting, just was... hanging out.</p><p> </p><p>It was not as uncommon as others would think. Error had many times in the past just sat with Ink, or talked, or even played. Of course, he would cut off completely from the artist from time to time, going right back to his old ways of destroying over and over.</p><p> </p><p>It had been a few months since he felt like doing anything.</p><p>"*Mmm?" Ink suddenly hums, looking around at the space of Outer Tale- then he smiles at Error, "Sorry Error, someone calling me! See you later!"</p><p>"*bye ink." Error waves him off; he watches the artist vanishes within a yellow blob of paint.</p><p> </p><p>Error turns back to his stargazing, he smiles gently at the wonderful display as his hands move on their own, knitting his latest project; an open back jumper.</p><p>Then he quickly lowers his needles, bringing a hand up, he coughs.</p><p> </p><p>Then coughs louder and harder.</p><p> </p><p>Glancing down, he sees small blue petals and glares at them. There was no blood found on them.</p><p> </p><p>He places his needles and half-finished jumper to one side. Readjusting his glasses so as not to fall, he then reaches for the hem of his red jumper, he pulls it up as fall as it would go and began searching for any signs of the flowers he now knew was growing there. He was just about to look on another part of his body, then he spotted it. It was the lumbar part of his spine, one bloom of hydrangea.</p><p> </p><p>With a heavy sigh, he shoves his jumper back down and grabs hold of his project. He wanted to complete it before he went to remove the flower- this jumper was a gag gift to Ink too. He spent about three or four hours finishing it up, then he put it in the place Ink normally sits and ties it in his blue string. Digging into his pockets, he found a pen and piece of paper, then quickly wrote a note to Ink. </p><p> </p><p>With a snort, he stands, then opens a glitchy white portal to a very familiar universe. It really was his universe now, he claimed as his own. Here was his moon and his fields of flowers- he came to relax in this place just how he does with Outer Tale. </p><p> </p><p>Error began taking off his clothes until he was naked, then neatly places them to one side. He studies his lumbar. With only one bloom it seemed it caught it early this time. </p><p> </p><p>Summoning a bone he set to work to cut it out, not caring who he had fallen in love with.</p><p> </p><p>It took time- it always took time, the roots were the hardest to remove.</p><p> </p><p>But after a couple of hours, the shortest time he had spent of removing flowers- he was carefully planting his newest flower into the ground, next to the army of sunflowers.</p><p>Grinning he stood tall and felt better. The pain had not made him crash this time; in the past when he has done this, he normally crashed many times during the period he cuts them out. </p><p>Suddenly he felt the old need to destroy a universe or two. But first, he needed to wash up, there was water on his moon. And he would have to rest in order to heal, he might feel better but it always left him weakened.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Vow Arc: Asteraceae</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Red daisies...</p><p> </p><p>They were dotted all over his forearms bones and shin bones- between his radius and ulna, his tibia and fibula.</p><p>Error glares at his black baggy trousers, he had to tailor them, making them lower. The same for his jacket as well, lengthening the sleeves; on top of that, he chose to wear long red gloves and red leg warmers, which he knitted himself.</p><p> </p><p>The reason he kept them so long this time, was because he wanted to find the monster who he kept falling in love with.</p><p> </p><p>Error now understood that the different flowers that appeared, grew that way depending on what way he fell in love with them; he also realized that it had to be the same monster. He felt it in his bones...</p><p> </p><p>So, he had to narrow it down to the monster he interacted with the most. The number of monsters was low to being with. There had to be a reason behind why he subconsciously felt that they would not be able to love him back. Thus making Hanahaki Disease spread.</p><p>He needed to think back to the other flowers too.</p><p> </p><p>Starting with the carnations.</p><p> </p><p>Carnation- or striped carnations, symbolize a regret that a love cannot be shared. It was one the most common flower to grow and the easiness to remove.</p><p>The lily of the valley meant; the return of happiness. Or sweetness and purity... these did not suit Error at all...</p><p>Sunflowers... was a hard one. It could mean feelings of adoration, admiration, loyalty and strong bonds between two monsters. It was one of the hardest flowers to grow since it came from deep-seated emotions.</p><p>There was another meaning behind the flower that he did not know at the time.</p><p>Sunflowers could mean; 'for an eternality I will love you'.</p><p>And then there were hydrangeas. These went by the colour. And Error had blue hydrangea. Meaning; asking for forgiveness, and/or expressing regret.</p><p>And now red daisies. Blood red daisies. This meant passion. </p><p> </p><p>Error did his research, he could find no one with more than five flowers during their lifetime, so he was hoping it would end with this last flower. Of course, finding the one he loved also could help. If he settled this with them or even killed them, then this would stop.</p><p>Error gazes over the moon's surface, it was filled with his flowers born from his love. White with a hint of pinks, pure white, bright yellows, soft blues. Soon the small blood-red blooms would join their ranks- Error felt he could not keep the asteraceaes any longer, they were killing him softly.</p><p> </p><p>Slowly he began taking off his jacket and trousers, the daisies began springing up- once again he stood on his moon naked as the day he was made. With a heavy sigh, he summons a redbone and let the pain begin.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Vow Arc: Calla Lilies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error leans back into his comfortable blue beanie bag- Ink had made him this; it was a new one since his old had gotten wore down with age. It was a lot bigger than his older one too- he could flop all over it. He loved it.</p><p> </p><p>As he sat silently on it today, working on his latest knitting project; his thoughts were of the flowers growing from his scapulas.</p><p>Error had gone through many universes, trying to find others who had grown six flowers in their lifetime. The most were only five and even then it was rare.</p><p> </p><p>And now he had yet another rare thing. Two colours of the same flower. Pure white and deep dark purple.</p><p>They hung down his back from his scapulas, following the shape of his spine. Reminding him of broken wings.</p><p>Error stares at his needlework, his sockets never leaving as his mind drifts through the meaning of these flowers...</p><p> </p><p>A third rare thing. Calla lilies did not occur very often. And as a result, the meanings of them were just theories. White was only thought to mean purity. While the dark purple was only thought to mean strength.</p><p> </p><p>This did not help him...</p><p> </p><p>He had chosen to spend time with the few monsters he knew well, hoping to get a hint. The time between the daisies and these calla lilies was a lot shorter; which meant that whoever it was, he was meeting during more during his investigation and hadfallen in love with quicker. These were only the Star Sanses with the Dream Team, Nightmare with the Gloom and Doom Boys. Yet Error still never did discover his love.</p><p> </p><p>He was now thinking about asking for help but this was a form of weakness. With more than half the monsters of the multiverse already after his dust, it was a great risk. What if the one he loved was a weakling? And he could not protect them.</p><p>'*i'll feel differently once the flowers are removed.' Error tells himself as he continues knitting in his empty Anti-Void, the only true noise was the needles, since the Voices did not count. And there were too busy laughing at him to give any real advice on this situation.</p><p>Finishing his cast-off he stands and makes a portal to his flower moon.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Error left his Anti-Void, mumbling darkly under his breathe.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Vow Arc: Freesia</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error ran through the multiverse in a complete rage. He tore apart universe after universe, deleting them as fast as he could.</p><p> </p><p>Seven times in the last <em>hundred</em> years!</p><p> </p><p>Seven times he had grown flowers, seven times he had become lovesick, seven times he failed to discover who was making him fall in love with them, seven he falls for someone and a part of him must have realized that this monster would never love him back.</p><p>Seven times he had to go through that agony of removing the blooms.</p><p> </p><p>And suddenly he felt that Ink had arrived.</p><p> </p><p>The artist had leapt at him, grinning boldly as he smacks him around the side of his skull with his giant paintbrush. Thankfully it had no paint on it, otherwise, that would have been even more painful.</p><p>But not as painful as the inside of his skull, where the freesias were currently growing and blinding him. He was using only his strings and codes to see where he was going.</p><p> </p><p>The funniest thing about the freesias growing inside his skull was their meaning: Trust.</p><p> </p><p>Error growls and rips his strings from his sockets, he felt blood dripping from them, he hears the sounds of gasping from those around him.</p><p>The bleeding from his sockets just would not stop and he had tried to remove them countless times. They were out of reach and growing faster than any flower he had before.</p><p> </p><p>"*OH! MY! LIFE! ERROR!? PLEASE! STOP! LET US HELP YOU!" Came Blueberry's voice, he could just about hear the fear and worry in the tone, "WHAT IS HAPPENING!?"</p><p> </p><p>Error could just about hear Dream's muffled talking, but the blooms had messed up his hearing too. It was only because Blueberry was the loudest that he could hear his words.</p><p>Error ran to the sound of his voice, drawing out more strings in order to see, using them as spider webs.</p><p> </p><p>However, each time he sent them sailing, blood came splatting out as well, making the whole area look like someone had showered in blood. His normal blue strings were also dyed red.</p><p> </p><p>Someone grabs him from behind, causes him to glitch wildly at the feeling of being held.</p><p>Over the scent of blood and flowers, he could smell fresh paint and other art supplies he could not name.</p><p>Error almost relaxed in that hold, knowing it was just Ink... He would be fine if it was Ink. He was safe. Still, Error wiggles around and the other hugged him tighter.</p><p>Ink was talking. To him or the others, he did not know. </p><p> </p><p>"-take him to Sci!" Another voice spoke, he did not know who it was.</p><p> </p><p>Wait... they were going to take him to Sci? Someone was going to see the flowers!</p><p> </p><p>Error roars loudly, it came out as static.</p><p> </p><p>And then he crashes...</p><p> </p><p><br/>Reboot...</p><p> </p><p>Error tries to blink.</p><p> </p><p>There was something covering his sockets.</p><p>He moves around in the bed he was strapped down in- he felt very calm. He feels he must have been some sort of drug because the pain was nothing more than a dull ache. And the flowers felt like there were gone.</p><p> </p><p>"*oh? ya awake?" Came a Sans's voice from somewhere in the darkness, "it's sci. error. do ya remember me?"</p><p> </p><p>Error coughs and nods.</p><p> </p><p>"*i ain't told the others." Sci goes on to say, he could hear movement beside him, "here drink." Error was startled when something touches his jaws, he felt it was a rim of a glass, so he opens his teeth and drank the water deeply, "thought it best not to. ya know. the flowers."</p><p> </p><p>Error nods and the glass was taken away.</p><p> </p><p>"*so ya knew?" Sci hums loudly, "well. not my business. i help whoever needs it. and ya really needed it. ... but ya know. if someone like you can fall in love. perhaps there's hope after all..."</p><p> </p><p>Error frowns at those words.</p><p> </p><p>"*ya want to keep the flowers?" Sci asks after a moment of silence, then confirms what Error already felt, the flowers were out, "i removed them when ya crashed."</p><p>Error nods again, leaning back into the bed; he could not recall the last time he had been in a bed. He was so tired, he wanted to sleep. </p><p> </p><p>"*i've given ya some sleep meds and heavy pain killers. ya can go once ya had a good rest." Sci said with a sigh, "or tho. it might be better if i turn ya into ink. let him care for you."</p><p>Error glares at those words. The thought of being at the mercy of his arch-nemesis did not make him feel safe at all.</p><p>"*no? strange. i thought ya were somewhat friends." Sci went on in his normal droning tone, "welp. best tell them ya awake. and don't want to see anyone. but they are asking who did this to ya... well. what i mean. they think ya was attacked. or something."</p><p> </p><p>Error growls at those words.</p><p> </p><p>"*got it. i'll tell them ya don't remember." Sci replies, his voice getting further away, "i'm leaving the room now." The sound of the door closing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Vow Arc: Syringa vulgaris- Lilac</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the last time Error completely closed himself off to anyone. He still went destroying the universes, however, whenever someone came along, either to fight or talk to him, he would leave without finishing his work.</p><p> </p><p>The Star Sanses realizing this after a while merely showed up and waited silently for him to leave.</p><p> </p><p>Somehow, Error could tell that this made Ink very unhappy- because while he always used to tried and stop the glitch, he also loved to 'play' with the ERROR.</p><p>Whenever Ink showed up alone, he would stare blankly at Error. And sometimes watch him in confusion, almost like he did not know who he was. Then he would read something on his scarf and then just wait, looking very bored.</p><p>It took time to realize that Ink had forgotten who Error once was. That he had forgotten just how deadly the glitch could be. Or maybe he was waiting for his old 'friend' to appear to 'play' with and was just getting disappointed every time.</p><p> </p><p>Error began to hover around.</p><p> </p><p>Sometimes Blue happily chatted with him, and together they knitted. Even Dream spoke softly to him, asking why he was so sad. Begging him to let him help. </p><p>With the artist, the ERROR sat in silence. Watching Ink watch him. Ink would draw, sketch or paint, while Error would sew, knit or crochet. </p><p> </p><p>So... can someone explain why there were blue lilacs appearing inside his pelvis- they meant tranquillity. Not that he cared now. Everything seemed so pointless at the moment. </p><p>Error did not know what to do about this... the only monsters he met were fewer than before...</p><p> </p><p>He could return to Sci and explain. But that would mean explaining the first seven times too.</p><p>Sci would want to study him, and Error really did not want that.</p><p> </p><p>The ERROR lets out a huge sigh, glances around at the chaos he made; his blue strings covered the landscape, captured monsters hung there crying loudly as their end draw near. The sounds of screams and running were echoing throughout the underground of this gross universe. </p><p> </p><p>The sound of paint being splatted against something breaks Error out of his daze. Turning slightly he sees Ink alone. The artist wanders over, he reaches down and frowns at his scarf as he went. Ink drops the scarf with a heavy sigh that could match Error's from earlier and stood there watching him, looking very bored at the whole display.</p><p> </p><p>Error moves to open a portal to leave- then as he was about to release the Frisk who this universe's SOUL when Ink spoke:</p><p> </p><p>"*Good kitty." Ink said flatly, causing Error to pause. And frown.</p><p>"*what?" Came Error's raw glitchy voice, making Ink blink and raise a brow.</p><p>"*You speak?" Ink asks a grin began tugging at his jaws, "And wow! What a voice! Hahaha!"</p><p>"*i speak. and i sing too." Error told him darkly, as he reaches up to his sockets, "tell me rainbow moron. do ya want to hear the cat's chorus?"</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly blue strings lashed out, wrapping the artist tightly. Ink blinks dully and wiggles slightly, testing out the strength.</p><p> </p><p>"*Stronger than you look." Ink comments, looking mildly impressed, "So why didn't you ever attack before?"</p><p>"*licking my wounds." Error snaps, grinning like mad as he stalks forward, he squeezes the strings and purrs out, "<em>meow</em>."</p><p> </p><p>Ink stares at him for a moment, then threw his skull back laughing wildly.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Vow Arc: Strelitzia - Bird of Paradise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error had removed the lilacs soon after his epic come back to action. This time he went straight to Sci instead of doing it himself, sleeping through it was better than painfully cutting them out himself. And because Sci had helped him last time, he gained the ERROR's trust.</p><p>A year later Error noticed that Ink was beginning to remember him, recounting times of long ago rather than his silent treatment. The movements of how Ink fought showed he knew what was to come. And Ink looked on with delight every time Error appears. </p><p> </p><p>And thus things returned to 'normal' in the multiverse.</p><p> </p><p>And of course, Sci had a lot of questions when he once again showed up with more flowers.</p><p> </p><p>Error chose to show rather than tell. Bringing him to his moon when he went to plant his lilacs. The scientist carefully made rounds through his wide range of flowers, writing them down on a clipboard, it was only when Error took him back to his lab that he began firing questioning.</p><p>Error explained that he did not know who it was, so did not know why it kept happening.</p><p> </p><p>Sci then changed in line of questioning. Asking the time periods these happened in, asked what his thoughts were at the time, about the different places each flower grow on.</p><p>All the while he asked the questions, Sci was working at his computer.</p><p> </p><p>And Sci looked very pleased with the newest flower- Strelitzia - Bird of Paradise.</p><p> </p><p>"*means a couple of things." Sci told him, tapping happily on the keyboard, "freedom. magnificence. joy through challenges. optimism for the future. faithfulness in romantic relationships. we can rule that last one out... right?"</p><p>"*right. i don't know who it is..." Error confirms with a glare.</p><p>Sci was not looking at him, instead of staring thoughtfully at the computer's screen.</p><p> </p><p>"*humerus." Sci suddenly said, he leads over to a piece of paper and marks off a skeleton diagram, placing 'x' on both sides of the humerus. "three growing on the right and two on the left."</p><p>"*is there any way to stop this from happening again?" Error demands his doctor, who still did not turn to look at him.</p><p>"*find the one ya love and confess." Sci told Error in an off-handed manner, paying no attention to the growl he got in response, "either a 'yes' or 'no' from them can stop this from happening. with a 'yes' and the flowers will be soaked into ya soul. a 'no' and they'll wither and die. with a different sort of pain. ya could fall down too. do nothing and die."</p><p>"*is this the same monster? i mean. i feel it is. but..." Error asks this time, leaning back into the bed, he was completely naked, something he nor Sci cared about.</p><p>"*...mostly likely if ya feel that way." Sci said after a moment, "i'm guessing ya want me to remove them so ya can get back to gardening."</p><p>"*shut it. i keep ya alive for a reason. don't make that reason vanish." Error snaps at the doctor, his voice glitching with highs and lows- Sci once again cared little for the threat, since Error would never do that to him. They had built an odd sort of friendship over the years.</p><p>"*okay. keep ya pants on... oh wait. too late." Sci jokes, at last, looking at him, then gave him a couple of winks.</p><p>"*sci. is there something wrong with ya socket? it keeps closing weirdy." Error said with a frown- the ERROR did not understand 'fleshly' desires. </p><p>Sci stares at him for a moment, then shrugs while saying,  "i'll mark the cracks and prepare for surgery."</p><p> </p><p>Sci stood up and makes his way to the bed, seating himself on the edge, he takes out a white marker pen and leans over the top of him. Error had gotten so used to Sci that he did not glitch wildly or crash hard, at this action anymore.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly the door opens with a bang.</p><p> </p><p>"*GREETINGS SCI! I-" Blueberry began and stops with a long gasp at the sight of Sci hovering over Error, "I AM SO SORRY! PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME! DREAM! INK! SCI AND ERROR ARE DATING! ERROR IS NAKED!-"</p><p>Error blinks at the empty doorway, he could still hear Blueberry screaming down the corridor. Sci was shaking as he tries to hold in his laughter. </p><p> </p><p>"*continue later. shall we. my dear?" Sci said with a snicker, he starts moving up when Error dives into the doctor's white lab coat, holding onto his back tightly, "... error?"</p><p>"*i don't want them to see the flowers." Error hisses, nodding towards the door, just as Dream and Ink appears, "see. knew they would come."</p><p>"*pff- Oh Wow!" Ink said with a loud snort, he covers a hand over his jaws, hiding the odd grin forming, "Error! <em>You</em> and <em>Sci</em>!?"</p><p> </p><p>Sci grabs his lab coat and gentle covers Error's bones, he leans his skull up and gives sends a cold smile, towards his guests. Error lowers his skull into the doctor's neck, not wanting to see Ink.</p><p> </p><p>"*didn't i say before not to come into my room when the door is closed." Sci said clearly annoyed by them coming in. He frowns deeply, Ink was staring at him... strangely.</p><p>"*We are sorry! We just wanted to be sure you were safe." Dream cries out, he was covering his sockets with one hand- then he takes one step into the room, reaching over to grab the door handle with his free hand, "Please excuse us!" then he shuts the door.</p><p>"*welp. that happened." Sci said with a snort, he looks down at Error who was now glitching like crazy, "you can come out now. they're gone."</p><p> </p><p>Error raises his skull and glances at the door. Sure enough, there was no Ink, Blueberry or Dream. He had not been paying attention to anything that had been said over the screams and laughs of the voices. </p><p> </p><p>"*how soon can ya give me the surgery?" Error questions dully, not likely the next few encounters with Ink.</p><p>"*in the morning." Sci told him with a grin, "also. can i have some more examples of the other flowers?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Vow Arc: Narcissus- Daffodil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error sat in his Anti-Void.</p><p> </p><p>It had been only a year to the date since the last surgery when the cracks started to show. This time all over his bones. No place was safe from them.</p><p>Again Error shut himself away, only now he did not bother leaving his home. Choosing to end it once and for all, letting the flowers overtake him.</p><p> </p><p>The daffodils were a bright yellow. Their roots were deep and painful.</p><p> </p><p>None of him could be seen anymore.</p><p> </p><p>He could not see. Could not hear. Smell. Taste. Or feel. Nothing but endless pain and static.</p><p> </p><p>Error was a frozen skeleton. Left at the mercy of his own mind.</p><p> </p><p>Error's thoughts went to his flower moon. And truth be told, he had been beginning to like it. The flowers were an extension of his SOUL magic, it was filled with his love and emotions. It seemed to welcome him home whenever he went.</p><p>The flowers had begun moving further across the surface, filling the grey dusty ground with their colour and life. And because he kept going back and viewing them, they fed off of his SOUL's power, in turn, making them grow more.</p><p>He was sure that they would survive even without him, that was just how strong they had become.</p><p> </p><p>Error wanted to die.</p><p><br/>He felt that he was meant to have died years ago, only he had been too determined at the time to let himself fall.</p><p><br/>And now...</p><p><br/>Dying at the hands of his own SOUL's mistake.</p><p>Error had fallen in love with a SOULless monster. It was no wonder he felt that this one would not return his love all this time. Because Ink really could not return his love.</p><p>Error felt himself crash... at least he thought it was crashing, it could be that this was the end of his long life.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>SHUTTING DOWN.</p><p>RESTART &gt; REBOOT &gt; REBOOT &gt; CONFIGURATION &gt; REBOOT &gt; REINSTALLING DET- &gt; REBOOT &gt; REBOOT &gt; REBOOT &gt; REBOOT &gt; REPAIRING MEMORY DATA &gt; 1%...3%...10%....8%...10%...12%...19%...16%...20%...23%-</p><p><br/>ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED</p><p><br/>&gt; REBOOT &gt; SANS_CHARACTER_ 404 &gt; REBOOT &gt; REBOOT &gt; REBOOT &gt; REBOOT &gt; REINSTALLING DETER- &gt; REBOOT &gt; REPAIRING MEMORY DATA &gt; 1%...4%...6%...10%...12%...14%...19%...20%...23%-</p><p><br/>ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED</p><p>ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED</p><p>ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED</p><p><br/>ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERROR.EXE HAS CRASHED ERRO-</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~ /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ ~~~~~~~~<br/>~~~~~~~~ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ ~~~~~~~~</p><p>LOST CONNECTION</p><p>~~~~~~~~ /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ ~~~~~~~~<br/>~~~~~~~~ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ ~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~ /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ ~~~~~~~~<br/>~~~~~~~~ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ ~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>CONNECTED - SECURED</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[*do ya wish to continue?]</p><p><br/>[*yeah or nah?]</p><p>...</p><p><br/>*yeah.</p><p>RESTART &gt; REBOOT &gt; CLEAN UP FILES &gt; DEFRANMENTATION &gt; CONFIGURATION &gt; REINSTALLING DETERMINATION &gt; SANS_CHARACTER _404 &gt; REPAIRING MEMORY DATA &gt; 1%...3%...5%...9%...13%...16%...19%...20%...23%...25%...29%...33%...34%...36%...40%...41%...45%...48%...50%...53%...59%...61%...65%...69%...71%...75%...78%...80%...81%...83%...84%...86%...91%...94%...97%...98%...99%-</p><p> </p><p>SHUTTING DOWN!</p><p>RESTART!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Error blinks.</p><p> </p><p>That was one hell of a crash.</p><p> </p><p>The glitch frowns at his SOUL. It felt... stable. There were fewer glitches and lagging around him.</p><p>He tries to remember what had happened... he sat up in bed, gazes around at the white creamy walls.</p><p> </p><p>He knew where he was. It was Sci's private room he set aside for out coded characters who came to him for help.</p><p>Error doubles over and held his skull in his hands.</p><p> </p><p>Lowering his hands, he stares in shock at the black, red and yellow. For some reason, he thought they would be white... but that was not right, they had always been this colour.</p><p>Error remembers his long lifetime as an ERROR clearly. ... there was something else trying to break free under the surface of his mind.</p><p>Error sees something out of the corner of his socket, turning he sees a sea of yellow flowers. They were all set neatly off to one side of the room, covering the wall and reaching the ceiling. There was so many of them, he wondered how they came from his body.</p><p> </p><p>Movement made him glance to the bottom of his bed- Ink was laying half on half off.</p><p> </p><p>And Error felt nothing...</p><p> </p><p>There were no emotions when he thought of him, even looking at him gave no stir of love he knew he was once held for the artist.</p><p> </p><p>'*how do i keep falling in love with ya?' Error questions himself with a sigh.</p><p>The ERROR wondered if he should rethink his life.</p><p>Was he insane for destroying universes like the Voices sometimes told him? Most likely. <br/>He ended lives. Sometimes toying with them. But cared about his own, even if it was just a little. He desired to end his own once his mission was complete. There should be only one universe, one Sans. All others were a mistake.</p><p> </p><p>Error nods in agreement with himself. Being free from the glitches and lags of his mind made the world seem a little different. He wondered how long this was last.</p><p> </p><p>'*if i go back into the anti-void. or have a big crash.' Error thinks as he tries to move, but Ink was laying on his legs, 'will i lose the stableness of my mind and soul? it feels nice without that burning pull. almost like my bones want to melt.'</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly another question enters his mind, one that should have been the first things he thought of.</p><p> </p><p>'*who saved me?' Error thinks with a deep frown, his gaze fell back to Ink. The most likely monster, it was hard for anyone to appear in his home, even for Ink- if he had help from an outside source...</p><p> </p><p>"*Oh! You're awake!" Came a voice, glances down he blinks at Ink's even changing eyelights- his voice lacked sleep, making him wonder if the artist was faking... like always.</p><p>"*i am. you saved me?" Error asks with a nod, silence greets him, the only noises were the machines he was attached to and other sounds coming from beyond his door.</p><p> </p><p>Error watches the other out coded character grin boldly and sits up, bringing his arms above his head, he starts moaning as he began stretching over dramatically. Then he brings them down to the bed quickly.</p><p> </p><p>"*Yep!" Ink said after his little display, he snorts and laughs, "You were a living garden! I've never seen anything like it before! Thanks for showing me something so interesting!"</p><p>"*well i aim to please..." Error snaps in anger, he leans into the bed behind folding his arms over his ribs.</p><p>"*So... What happened? Did Sci dump you or something?" Ink asks with a laugh, but there was an underlining tone that made Error study him for a moment, "You won't feel anything towards him now that those flowers are out now, right? Crazy! How does that work!? Hahahaha!"</p><p>"*yeah... well..." Error frowns a little at the last question, trying to find something a SOULless creature like Ink could understand-</p><p> </p><p>His eyelights settled on the paints strapped around Ink's chest; he had studied them for the longest time in order to find a weakness, so he knew what which of them did.</p><p> </p><p>"*it's like i drank the whole bottle of ya white paint." Error explains, nodding towards the paint- Ink lightly touches the bottle, blinking at Error, "i feel almost nothing at the moment."</p><p>"*Oh. Would you like some? To replace your emotions." Ink offers running his hand over the paint, as he trying to choose which one to start with.</p><p>"*nah. my emotions will come back over time." Error said rubbing his skull for a moment, he then glances down at his arm, it was already free of any bandage, he could see the tiny scars where the roots had been, "how long have i been here?"</p><p>"*Don't know!" Ink said with a happy grin, Error frowns when he sees that the artist was drinking from his yellow paint, "Been ages though! Your SOUL kept breaking! Over and over! It was amazing to watch it keep glitching back into place. Freaked all the doctors out. Haha! In the end the doctors and Sci started fighting! The other doctors kept saying we should shut off the machines! Hahaha!"</p><p> </p><p>Error turns and studies the machines around him, he knew what they were for now- during the time of researching his disease had become familiar with the medial machines connected to him... however, sometimes he knew too well what these things did. As if the knowledge was already there and he was just refreshing himself.</p><p> </p><p>"*perhaps it would have been a good thing." Error told him, keeping his features free of emotions, "if i'm gone. other aus will live."</p><p>"*Yeah but, then you'll be gone." Ink points out with a cheerful smile, "I've met thousands up thousands of the same Sanses. I've only met you once. I don't know where you came from, or what made you into an ERROR. So I can't recreate those settings to make another one of you."</p><p>"*so. i'm one of a kind. oh lucky me! " Error said with a snort, he leans over staring Ink straight in the sockets, "tell me then ink. would ya miss me if i go? since ya were thinking about remaking me if i died."</p><p>"*I don't know." Ink admits with that same cheerful smile, "I really don't know. I mean. I'll just forget you over time. So in the end, it's no big deal. But right here and right now. I didn't want you to leave."</p><p>"*this is why ya still just a child." Error says leaning back into the bed, "self-centred moron. who cares about no one but yourself... but even if i can't feel anything towards ya just now. i think i would miss ya too."</p><p> </p><p>The two out coded skeletons sat in silence until Sci came.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. The Vow Arc: Tulip</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was no hiding them. It was clear to everyone who saw him. Their shocked features made him want to laugh in their faces.</p><p> </p><p>Yes.</p><p> </p><p>Error the Destroyer was in love.</p><p> </p><p>Hopeless love.</p><p> </p><p>And now every monster he came into contact with, knew this fact.</p><p> </p><p>The flowers appearing had become the new normal for him. A question of no longer 'if' but rather a 'when'.</p><p> </p><p>... he never thought that the flowers would grow upon his skull.</p><p> </p><p>Tulips.</p><p> </p><p>Yellow tulips that broke out at the back of his skull, close to his cervical. Then pink and white ones came up and around his parietal bone on both sides. Still, the tulips grew more. Coming on his frontal bone. On full display to the world; these ones were blood red.</p><p>On his black skull at the top show, making it look as he was wearing a flower crown.</p><p>Error did not care anymore. He was beyond the point of caring. And he knew that he anyone discovered who he was in love with, then Ink could take care of himself.</p><p> </p><p>Error blinks as he tries to move one of the flowers that had begun to grow just above his left eye socket; the stems had begun moving downwards, looking like he had thick green hair with coloured ball balls at the ends and a black bold spot...</p><p> </p><p>The glitch was waiting until he felt the need to die before getting rid of them and adding them to his lovely moon garden.</p><p>He was glad the moon was so big. Bigger than the normal Earth's moon. It was more of a planet than a moon since it had the means to support life. It circled a larger planet than Earth too, which had a large dent in the side of it where a comic had strike before Error had made it his home.</p><p> </p><p>However, if the flowers were going to happen every few hundred years than he would need another place to plant since he did not die that easy and the moon would get covered in the end the longer he lived.</p><p>It was going to be like a memorial to his SOUL. His love. A testimony to his long-suffering agony, endurance and determination.</p><p> </p><p>Error bends down and plants the last of his lilac. For the last ten or more years he had been digging all the different flowers up and moving them around... he had noticed that even when he put them up, they were still attached to the ground. All flowers were connected to one another underground- still, he was able to move the blooms, watching as the roots moved along with him until he got to the place he was replanting them.</p><p>This made the task a full lot longer. If he was able to dig them up with the roots coming up, he would have shortcutted to the area. But because of the connection, he had to walk miles.</p><p> </p><p>Error enjoyed his new life of making his garden- gave him another project to do in between destroying universes or puppet making - He makes little paths between them, stole chairs, dotting them all around to view them. He made a maze out of the sunflowers since they grew taller than him.</p><p>He was thinking of asking Ink to design a tower or something to overlook them. He knew his friend would jump at the chance to do something for him.</p><p>Error smiles a little. Although the flowers still bloomed, he no longer cared if Ink could not love him back- yet the flowers seem came to life at his sad love. He was happy with the artist just letting him be by his side as a good friend- even if they do fight like mad dogs when they came across each other in the multiverse.</p><p>Ink was dying to know who had stolen Error's heart again and kept trying to trick the answer out of him.</p><p> </p><p>Error smiles gently at the thought of his friend and love- he suddenly starts coughing loudly, it shook his bones making them rattle. Falling to his knees, blood starts pouring from his jaws, along with large tulip petals.</p><p> </p><p>"*it's time then..." Error said gasping painfully- he had already chosen where he would place the tulips. He felt a little pained that his love for Ink was going to fade again... but these flowers were proof of his love. And he wanted to protect them.</p><p> </p><p>With a mad grin, he stands and spat some blood on the ground. The ERROR then frowns where he notices his blood being soaked into the ground very quickly. Gazing around he sees that the blood he vomited was gone as well.</p><p>His scientific mind wanted answers, so he forced a cough and brought up more blood into his hands. Then he went over to the lilacs he had just replanted and bending over, let the blood fall onto their semi-exposed roots.</p><p>With keen eyelight he watches the blood being drunk up by the flowers.</p><p> </p><p>"*well. that's interesting." Error mumbles to himself, knowing what his next discussions with Sci Sans would be.</p><p> </p><p>Error had formed a strange and strong friendship with Sci, something he had never dreamt would or could happen. Their common interest in researching the Hanahaki Disease lead to other topics in science. And sometimes Error worked alongside the scientist in other projects when asked, or went to get something that could not be found in his universe.</p><p>Sci also sometimes jokes about Ink always turning up during their 'dates'. Error laugh when his friend told him that Ink thought it was still Sci that Error was in love with.</p><p>Error stood up and opens a portal to Sci's universe. Quickly going through his halts when he sees his friend with a grim expression of his features.</p><p>Sci smiles tightly with his arrival.</p><p> </p><p>"*hiya error. want to get those off bud? ya came at a great time." Sci said in a hurried tone, "we'll do it right away this time."</p><p> </p><p>Error frowns, he watches his friend rush over to his desk and began making phone calls to prepare for surgery.</p><p> </p><p>Something was wrong.</p><p> </p><p>Sci finished talking on the phone and went over to Error.</p><p> </p><p>"*lets get ya read-" Sci starts but stops when he finds himself tied in Error's blue strings.</p><p>"*sci. what is going on?" Error growls out the question, he sees sweat forming on the other skeleton's frontal bone, "what. is. it. sci."</p><p>"*can i tell ya after the surgery?" Sci pleads softly, looking suddenly very worried.</p><p>"*no. now. or you and your whole universe is dust." Error snaps out, both knew this was an empty threat.</p><p> </p><p>Sci lowers his skull, he wiggles slightly lower in the strings as if trying to hide. With a deep sigh, his friend raises his skull with a harden and determined expression on he met Error's sockets.</p><p> </p><p>"*error." Sci said flatly, trying to stay as professional as possible, "ink is dead. some monsters kill-"</p><p>It was always like a crash- he felt glitches and lags appearing all over his bones. But this was not a crash since he was still aware of his surroundings- he could hear Sci still talking but his voice and words became static or were that just his hearing.</p><p>Error's SOUL seemed to be screaming out in the strangest pain he had ever felt. Once he regained his sight and hearing he focuses on Sci; Blood slowly began to ooze from the flowers in his skull.</p><p>The glitch just stares blankly. Studying the sockets of one of his most trusted ally, trying to see if this was some sort of prank.</p><p>'*sci wouldn't prank like this. not about work. not about this.' Error's minds told him sharply, glitches got worst, ERROR signs popped up all over.</p><p> </p><p>Error thought his SOUL was going to break. Just when he could not take this overwhelming pressure that was building</p><p> </p><p>At last, he crashes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>REBOOT</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When Error regained his senses again, this time he was on the operation table with many doctors surrounding him.</p><p>Sci quickly rushes forward, looking down at him with an unreadable expression.</p><p> </p><p>"*it hurts." Error says crying bloody tears; his bones were cracking in places other where the flowers were, leaking blood everywhere, "the flowers are hurting me. make it stop sci. my soul is breaking. my bones are breaking. please. make it stop."</p><p> </p><p>Both knew it was not the flowers which were causing the harm.</p><p> </p><p>"*i will." Sci told him firmly, he turns to look at some monster and nods his skull. Suddenly there was something covering Error's jaws.</p><p>'*i'll kill them.' Error vows to himself- he starts falling into a deep sleep, 'even if i no longer love ink. i'll kill whoever took him away from me. hear me error of the future. promise on the name of the original sans that ya will destroy whoever it did. <strong>promise me</strong>...'</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A loud cracking sounded throughout the lab, causing the doctors to worry- almost as if his body and SOUL was in agreement with him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Error felt numb.</p><p> </p><p>He overlooked the flowers in the distance, even from here he felt the love pulsing off of them. Almost like they were screaming at him. Trying to explain something to him. Like he needed any more screams.</p><p>At his feet was a small patch of tulips, they were in a circle about the same shape as they were when in his skull; he had carefully planted them in an area where the other flowers could not reach. He wanted to know if they would one day join with the underground root system that had formed.</p><p> </p><p>This was one of his projects...</p><p> </p><p>... another project was...</p><p> </p><p>...that was all...</p><p> </p><p>'...<em>promise me</em>...' Error hears the echo of his past self, begging for vengeance for the one he once loved.</p><p> </p><p>The ERROR was going to take on another project.</p><p> </p><p>"*i promise." Error told the tulips with a deadly growl, then turns to open a portal, "even if i have to rip this whole multiverse apart with my bare hands."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The Vow Arc: Peony- Part #1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once he awoke from his last surgery to removes the flowers, he remembered his promise to himself and latched onto it like a lifeline. Even though he held no love for the dead monster- a monster he thought could ever be killed off- he still wanted to keep that oath.</p><p>He did not even bother to rest and went straight into action.</p><p>Tearing through universe after universe at a fast rate, leaving before crumbs of codes, with monsters and humans alike screaming for help.</p><p> </p><p>But no one came.</p><p> </p><p>Error did not know who or what he was looking for, he was just searching for a monster who was equal to himself or Ink in power, strength and determination.</p><p>This went on for weeks, until Sci was suddenly in front of him, brought to him by Dream- he tries to explain to Error the cause to Ink's death. In fact, it seemed that Sci had already told him this, but at the time, he did not hear due to his meltdown.</p><p> </p><p>Red Echo.</p><p> </p><p>This was the name of the group that took down Ink and half of the Star Council's main force.</p><p>Red Echo rose up and scouted monsters like them, wanting to put an end to their ways of life. It was all done in the shadows. Going unnoticed by Ink and Dream. Even Error, but he really did not look out for threat like them. Not his job. He just destroyed or corrected errors in the multiverse.</p><p> </p><p>The ERROR had made it his business.</p><p> </p><p>After a couple of days pondering, the glitch makes up his mind.</p><p>The ERROR was told that this Red Echo was powerfully due to their strength in numbers. And so he did not start by seeking this new force- no he first sought the old force. He had marched into the Star Council's HQ after it had been greatly weakened by the attack of the Red Echo.</p><p> </p><p>The Star Council could do nothing when Error took Ink's place as second in command. Shocking Dream who was still the leader.</p><p>The glitch kept shocking those around him, when he took Ink's main work, getting rid of art blocks... but he could not inspire the voices. However, he had learnt from this over time, that he could find the source of the block. Proofreading, removing unwanted sections or unneeded plots and hunting for the mistakes. The blocks seemed to vanish a little while after he had done these things.</p><p>Error kept his old job on the sly- with Ink the only one to confirm his destroying ways, no one could blame him when a universe or two went missing. Glitching and errors still needed to die for the sake of the Multiverse- or at least, that's what he always told himself. </p><p>The workaholic glitch went on to reunited Dream and Nightmare, along with the 'evil' Sanses- who found an odd sense of peace helping the other fallen Sanses. Together the Apple Brothers restarted Dream Tale, giving a powerful balance to their breaking Multiverse.</p><p> </p><p>The Red Echo mission had come to a standstill thanks to the error they made in killing off Ink.</p><p> </p><p>The Multiverse kept moving onwards, heading for a bright future... without the one who wanted it the most.</p><p>Error was even seeing a different kind of future; he had someone different he wished by his side...</p><p> </p><p>Of course, not everything went the glitch's way with his new 'love' interest.</p><p>The other Sanses spoke fondly of the artist, painting a clear picture for Error to see Ink in his mind's eye. No one wanted to forget him, so they kept his memory alive by having long talks and parties in his honour.</p><p>And in another rare twisted element of the Hanahaki Disease, Error had fallen in love with Ink by the memory of him alone, even while he liked someone else.</p><p> </p><p>Peony. Large-headed. Deep red.</p><p> </p><p>The deep red peony meaning; great honour and deep respect. Also symbolic of wealth and prosperity.</p><p>Error remembers that the flowers grew in the way the infected falls in love with them. And it made sense for them to grow in this manner since he respected the fallen artist.</p><p>They grew across his clavicle, forcing him to removes his jumper- he hid them with his blue scarf after that.</p><p>The only one he told was Sci. And he went searching to see if this had happened before- because what can a monster do if the one they fell for was dead. Normally the monster was already in love with the other when they died and the flowers would painfully rotting inside their body.</p><p> </p><p>But Error had fallen in love with a dead monster. So by laws of nature, the flowers should not bloom. Perhaps it was a glitch?</p><p> </p><p>"Sir Error!" A rough voice calls to him, he sees one of the dog units from one of the Under Fell's universe coming up to him. He hated being called that.</p><p>The glitch moans lightly as he rose from his seat, not because he was in pain, no Sci that made a drug to bypass the flower's curse- normal pain killers could normally only take the edge of the pain. Thanks to the years of researching Sci discovered this treatment, which was made from the flowers stems themselves and had to be tailored for that monster's magic.</p><p>One day they hoped to make a drug that could cure the disease without painful surgery. But that was just a dream at the moment.</p><p> </p><p>"*is everyone ready?" Error asks the unit, who all nod and wag their tails as he comes nearer, "good. lets go."</p><p> </p><p>Error marching out of the large tent, the dog unit following close at his heels. As he looks around he sees many different kinds of monsters all dressed in uniforms, one of Ink's old designs.</p><p>They were familiar to Ink's old clothes, but had a soldier look about them- one upper sleeve was a Sun, Moon and Star.</p><p> </p><p>Dream was the leader of the Sun Team. Nightmare was the leader of the Moon Team. And Error was the leader of the Star Team. Of course, there were other teams, but these three were known more around the multiverse.</p><p>Each had ten monsters under their direct command, not counting the leader's seconds in command- that ten had fifty under their command. That fifty had a hundred. And the hundred had thousands; But this night, it was divided differently.</p><p>It was a lot of monsters. Not all were even Sanses anymore. All tired of the Red Echo actions and the effect and damage they had done to the multiverse.</p><p> </p><p>According to Error's intelligence he had gathered over the past twenty-five years by surveillance, exploration, observation, investigation, examination, inspection, probing, scrutiny of monsters, scans and patrols, searching and infiltration; They were a group of monsters who were aware and had enough of the RESETs.</p><p> </p><p>The leader was an unknown monster, all those they captured only called them 'That Monster' and it was normally in a tone of complete disgust.</p><p>Error hurries through the sea of monsters and their stares, half wishes he had shortcutted but Nightmare keeps demanding that he makes appearances, claiming that he had become a burning hope of the Multiverse.</p><p>That made him want to vomit blood... wait he was already doing that.</p><p> </p><p>Error reaches his fellow leaders. All facing each other in a semi-circle.</p><p> </p><p>Nightmare nods as he came to stand next to him; Dream who was on the other side of his brother, smiles brightly at him. Dream had once upon a time been someone he never pays much attention too. They had grown to be good friends.</p><p>...and perhaps more.</p><p> </p><p>Dream was the monster he had taken an interest in. Who had stuck by his side when he tried to control his more violent side. He would gently talk pass the many voices who seemed to haunt him, making him feel a different kind of happiness.</p><p>It was Dream new love and care that made Error stop destroying completely, focusing solely on protecting installed by the kind skeleton's influence.</p><p>Nightmare had mentioned many times that Dream had come to love Error for who he was now. Even hinting that his lighter side might have flowers growing for Error.</p><p> </p><p>If Nightmare had said that to him years ago, he would have laughed.</p><p> </p><p>They had been dancing around each other for a while now. It was clear that they liked each other...of course, Error's guilt had stopped him since he was in love with Ink.</p><p>However... now, the thought of a future alongside Dream was seemed good. He had already chosen to remove the flowers once they took down the Red Echo. At last, he could find peace. Real peace.</p><p> </p><p>Error glances over to the golden skeleton, who was still staring at him in interest- at the black skulled skeleton's gaze, he blushes and quickly looks away. The glitch notices the silvery glow of the uncorrupted Nightmare, looks at his best friend, he sees the whiter than white skeleton smirking at him.</p><p>Error snorts and pushes at his friend with his shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>"*listen up monsters!" A classic Sans spoke up, walking in the centre of the leaders, "this fight is our final hour. if we lost. we lost our homes. our lives. our families. our future. -"</p><p>Error glances over to Dream again, Nightmare snorts as loud as Error did, returning the playful shove from before.</p><p>"-our three main forces are ready. but i'm sure ya all know ya parts well. we about to take down 'that monster' and the red echo." The Sans went on, he waits for them to nod in agreement, "and when this is all over. let's all go to grillby's ok?"</p><p> </p><p>That made all the Sanses there laugh.</p><p> </p><p>"*then go!" The Classic Sans shouts out, he was playing the role of the main leader, since Dream was going on the battlefield.</p><p>Instead of them all rushes to their mission, half just lazily walked off while some shortcutted away.</p><p>"*dream." Error calls over the golden skeleton, who turns to look at him in question, "huh... when this is all over. there's something i want to say."</p><p>"*Error." Dream says with a heavy sigh, "We might die tonight. The Red Echo can kill those even with RESETs. If there's something you want to say, please tell me now."</p><p>Error took a deep glitching breath.</p><p>"*... i want to... to take ya on a date." Error said shyly, even if he was in love with a dead monster a hope of loving someone was glowing within him- had been for many years now.</p><p>Dream looked delighted, tears appear in his sockets. And he nods.</p><p>"*That would be lovely." Dream says with a strange sigh, then he reaches into his subspace and brings out a golden pocket watch with sun and star design crafted on there, he could feel Dream's magic coming off it in waves, "Take this with you please. And think of me."</p><p> </p><p>Dream turns and hurries over to Blueberry, who was waiting for him, on reaching his best friend and second in command, they both began to giggle. Then they vanished in a glow of bright light, along with the whole Sun Team.</p><p>A hard pat smacks into Error's back and he glitches like mad for a moment. He turns to look at Nightmare. Error rose a brow.</p><p> </p><p>"*perhaps one day we will be brothers-in-law?" Nightmare said with a grin, he looked far too happy to be joking, his purple eyelights shone with glee.</p><p> </p><p>Killer Nightmare's second in command pats Error hard on the back as well, causing Error to growl lightly. Killer merely grins madly.</p><p>Error says nothing for a moment, he then sews his own strings into the golden chain that hung off the pocket watch, then wrapped it around his neck- it felt heavy on his scarf... and on his flowers that were hidden under it.</p><p>Under Fell Sans, Error's second in command hurries to his leader's side.</p><p> </p><p>"*perhaps we will." Error said at last to Nightmare, opening glitchy portal- he waves at Fell Sans or #13, and wandering through it he fist bumps Nightmare as he went- then he said loud enough for everyone to hear, "everyone! prepare to do battle!" Then he adds, "to the future!"</p><p>"*to the future!" Nightmare and others cheer out in agreement. The Star Team vanishes through the glitchy portal, followed by the Moon Team in a black mist.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>XD~DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>The Star Team, Error's team, was on the frontlines. They crashed through the main forces, knocking down any who stood in their way- they raced to the buildings. There was a building in the centre of this compound that was where the leader of the Red Echo was hiding in.</p><p>Error's job was to make a path for himself and takedown 'That Monster'. For this his team he was much smaller than normal, the rest of his army like team was working under Nightmare's team- so they were classed as Moon Team this insane night.</p><p>Moon Team was closely following behind Star Team. Ripping through the enemy without mercy- Nightmare's work was to completely take down the army of Red Echo, making sure none escape. No one wanted any repeats of their habits.</p><p>Dream's Sun Team had surrounded the whole area, making a barrier to seal off certain magic. Such as shortcuts, teleportation and portals. They were also working as healers and buffing magic up attacks for Moon Team. This was a large operation and only the most skilled monsters could pull this off.</p><p>Error flattens himself against a wall, glancing around the corner, looking to see if any enemies were there. Without shortcuts or portal, it made things a little harder for him, however, he was a monster who could adapt to any situation. He gazes over at #13 who was grinning madly, he looked ready to go into Blaster form at any moment.</p><p> </p><p>Error narrows his sockets- he thinks he was looking at the 'That Monster's' office. #13 was also acting as his eyes, as he never wore his glasses during fights.</p><p>Behind him and #13 was their most trusted dog unit, a few Sanses and the rabbit warriors from SwapFell.</p><p> </p><p>There was so many monsters posted on everywhere- but still, he and his loyal hounds and bunnies took them down one by one. The dog's howls, the rabbit's thumping of their feet and Error's insane laughter echoed through each corridor, their enemies blood and dust covered their uniforms and filled the air.</p><p>Soon they stood tall, their enemies fell to dust or ran away. The ones who ran would soon meet their worst nightmare in the form of the Moon Team.</p><p>Error and #13 quickly hurries forward, throwing himself against the wall again, this time next to the door of the office; #13 did the same on the other side. It was hardwood, with a reinforced frame- Error felt no magic coming from it, so it would be easy to enter.</p><p>Under Fell Doggo, who was blinded than Error, stood in front of the door- he waits for the command.</p><p> </p><p>Error grits his teeth- they were ordered to bring 'That Monster' for questions and not kill. 'That Monster' -The leader of the Red Echo had always remained a mystery and now that day was near, there was finally going to meet the monster that started it all.</p><p>Error's team was told to hold back with whoever was on the other side of the door.</p><p>Error nods and Doggo rushes forward, slicing right through the door like it was butter than jumps to stand next to #13, he barks a number of times- the number of enemies that were on the other side.</p><p>There was a moment of silence.</p><p> </p><p>Error spins off the door, bones and strings at the ready- he was the first one in and throwing his attacks. It was not long before #13 was by his side doing the same.</p><p>The dog unit and rabbit rabbits came through a second after, their attack striking down foe after foe. The few Sanses kept to the back, their long-ranged attacks backing up the front runners in perfect time.</p><p>Then they stopped and stood there.</p><p> </p><p>Dust filled the own area, creating a mist that slowly settled.</p><p>Error began marching, his team followed behind.</p><p> </p><p>'That Monster' was there.</p><p> </p><p>Behind a desk was a circle surrounded a chair, they could hear a beeping sound coming from it. But also another sound, almost like someone was playing on an old phone.</p><p> </p><p>The sound stops.</p><p> </p><p>The monsters slowly spun around in the chair.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Error and his team stare in shock disbelief also with overwhelming revulsion, at 'That Monster' seated there.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Without a moment's hesitation, everyone in Error's team, even Error himself, launched their most powerful attacks.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. The Vow Arc: Peony- Part #2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error stares down at the pile of dust. 'That Monster' did not last long, and now that he was thinking clearly, it was overkill, or perhaps just a waste of magic on his and his team's part.</p><p>Everyone had agreed never to reveal 'That Monster' to anyone, taking the identity to their dust.</p><p> </p><p>The glitch glances around the large office, his team had just finished collecting all the data from this room and now looking for any more in other offices nearby.</p><p>The sound of battle had slowed down, there were not even any screams close to him.</p><p> </p><p>Error frowns when he notices a pattern in the wall- it was different from the others, only slightly, but he could tell.</p><p> </p><p>The walls were panel wood, or made to look like wood; and there was a rounded and curvy pattern that was flush up against the other panels next to it, to continue to the pattern. However, one wooden panel looked slightly smaller than the others, by an inch, breaking the pattern.</p><p>Error walks over and runs a hand down it, he then did the same with the one next to it. And frowns. The 'wooden' pattern that was out of place, was not wood. It was metal.</p><p>Taking a step back he brings one leg up and with his whole strength kicks at the metal panel. The metal caved in like it was paper. And it turned out to be a door.</p><p>Peering through Error sees a metal narrow staircase, leading downwards.</p><p> </p><p>The glitch gazes over his shoulder, he was alone in this office now. #13 had gone to lead the others while Error gathered his thoughts.</p><p>Turning back to the metal staircase he starts to make his way down. His boots seemed to echo in the small space these narrow steps make up if anyone was down there hiding, they knew he was coming.</p><p>Error comes into a surprisingly large room, made from metal too. It had panels... just now the same kind. This one was a control panel whatever was in this room.</p><p> </p><p>There was a metal pillar in the centre, which was surrounded by eight others, greatly spaced apart from each other. There was joins in between the pillars, clearly, these raised up to reveal something underneath.</p><p>Error carefully makes his way over to the control panel, which was in front of the centre pillar, then began to study the buttons. There were nine buttons that stood out- these were numbered. They had a glass square covers them and then a tenth bigger button was next to it, with the same glass protector.</p><p> </p><p>These buttons raise up the pillars at the same time.</p><p> </p><p>Reaching down Error flips up the glass and pushes the 'Open All' button with delay.</p><p>The ERROR kept his sockets on the centre one as the metal slowly began to rise.</p><p>Error's peony flowers began to burn at the sight. His SOUL became light and his mind went blank.</p><p> </p><p>It was Ink floating in a large tube filled with strange water, with wires connected all over him. He was naked, so his marking on his white bones was on full display. He had a sickening break on his left side of his skull and most of his ribs were missing. He looked dead.</p><p> </p><p>Taking a deep breathe Error manages to take his sockets away from his love and look to the other tubes that surrounded him. And stares...</p><p> </p><p>Inside the eight-tube were small skeletons- which had a marking on one of their ribs that looked like Ink's.</p><p> </p><p>Unlike Ink who looked like he was sleeping, these small skeletons were awake and staring over at him with dull expression from where they floated- they looked lost. Each skeleton had a different colour eyelight: yellow, orange, green, blue, pink, red, purple and lilac.</p><p>Error growls out, then he summons his bones and began attacking the glass that held these small living skeletons inside.</p><p> </p><p>It was clear to him that these were Ink's clones.</p><p> </p><p>And he was saving them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The Vow Arc: Chrysanthemum</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error blinks awake.</p><p> </p><p>He was laying on his large king size bed, completely covered in little skeletons.</p><p> </p><p>Eight skeletons:</p><p> </p><p>One was wrapped around the top of his skull, knees digging into the left side of his clavicle, and frontal bone up against his right parietal bone, tiny hands curled around his cervical vertebrae.</p><p>Error would feel two small skulls either side, pressed against both his head of the humerus, their hands gripping onto his humerus.</p><p>Two more skulls there upon his sternum, one was higher than the other, their bodies were fully on top of him, their feet were on his lower spine.</p><p>Two more was a little lower- they had taken hold of his femur and was holding onto each other as well, almost linking Error's patellas, their skulls resting on his hips.</p><p>Lasting there was one sleeping across his shin bones.</p><p> </p><p>The glitch growls at his adopted children, a giggle was heard from one of them. Which one he could not tell, but it meant they were not sleeping, just lazing on him.</p><p>It had been four years since the final battle with the Red Echo and Error had fully moved into housing area in the Star Council HQ with the small Inks.</p><p>The little skeletons had been so traumatised when he dragged them out of the tubes that he was worried that they would Fall Down.</p><p> </p><p>He sat them on the floor and they all were looking steadily and intently around at the metal room- almost like that had been out of the tubes before; and for even he knew, that might have been the case.</p><p>The young skeletons focused on him and then had begun to rattle gently and their eyelights glowed- a call for help, a plea to their unknown mother or father - Error had seen the dawn of time in many universes, he knew how skeletons first developed.</p><p>They should not be rattling like this at this age since they looked at least ten years of age; this was something skeletons did when they first left their mother's form.</p><p> </p><p>Gritting his teeth Error response to their calling, by glowing his own eyes and giving a rattling answer. They crawled, not walked to him, and reached for him on all sides. Skeletons could have between two or ten offspring.</p><p> </p><p>It was then he noticed that they all had SOULs- or something like a SOUL, it was a little off. Their SOULs was humming out to him, imprinting themselves on his own SOUL.</p><p>The glitch had reached for his sockets and pulling out his strings, he knits at surprising speed, making blankets- he wraps them up in his strong strings filled with his magic...</p><p>He had felt a tug from each of them.</p><p> </p><p>The skeletons wanted feeding; he could tell by the change in their rattles. They seemed to be connected to some wires, most likely been given artificial magic to feed off of. Now on the outside and with a father they wanted only his mana.</p><p>So Error drops down cross-legged and forces his SOUL to glow brightly. Thankfully he had a very deep mana pool, he could easily give them more than enough magic to keep them going for hours, even at this age where they would need a lot more than if they were babies.</p><p> </p><p>Once they were happy and well fed, he rose up and headed towards Ink's tube- attacking the glass and getting the body safely out. He was a little surprise when the artist's body did not crumble into dust, given how damaged he looked.</p><p>As he carefully took it out with the little skeletons were all watching him intently as he placed Ink down next to them, they did not seem to care that this was their 'mother' or perhaps they did not recognize him as a monster without a SOUL- his golden pocket watch had begun to feel heavy against his peony flowers as he brushed his fingers over Ink's inked cheek. And his mind went over to Dream, his hopefully, future mate and stopped that action.</p><p>Error had been about to open a portal when he remembered that this area had a barrier around it. So he used his radio to call Dream and quickly told him to drop the barrier for a moment- there was a lot of questioning but Error asked the golden skeleton to trust him and that he could not explain on the radio.</p><p> </p><p>With the barrier dropped seconds later and Error made a portal to Sci's lab and gathering Ink into his arms, he takes the 'dead' skeleton through. The glitch was shocked that he had not turned to dust since there was no life coming from him.</p><p>Error was about to go back for the little ones but found he did not need to on turning around. Ink's clones had followed him through by crawling. So he quickly closed the portal and called Dream to set the barrier back up, and that he would be staying with Sci, inform #13 that he was now fully in charge of his team.</p><p>Sci had been shocked at the sight of Ink and the children. Error demands them to be checked over but they had taken one look at Sci's white coat and flew behind the glitch in fright so fast that if he had not seen their blurry forms, he would have thought they had shortcutted.</p><p> </p><p>In the end, Error was the one to have to gave them a check over. And deed them healthy. At least in body. In mind, they were younger than their appearance. Since they looked about ten years, they acted like toddlers.</p><p>After Dream and Nightmare came many hours later, he had to explain everything to them while the golden skeleton cooed over them. They just blankly stared back at him.</p><p>Dream right away wanted to adopt them and Error was in agreement with him. Let the positive monster care for the little ones. They needed the happiness that Dream could give them.</p><p> </p><p>However, it did not turn out that way. Dream tried to use his SOUL to claim them as his own children but they would not have it.</p><p>And they all would scream the place down whenever Error was out of slight and followed him around like little ducklings.</p><p>Thus Error was the one to adopt the little skeletons. And name them...</p><p> </p><p>Unlike Ink, his clones did not have ever-changing colour eyelights- It turned out that they had artificial SOUL- a metal SOUL like device was in their ribs and even vanished from sight like a true SOUL. Their SOUL colours matched their eyelights.</p><p>So that was what he called them:</p><p> </p><p>Yellow Ink. <br/>Orange Ink.<br/>Green Ink.<br/>Blue Ink.<br/>Pink Ink. <br/>Red Ink. <br/>Purple Ink.<br/>Lilac Ink.</p><p> </p><p>Error really did not want to raise them in his home, the Anti-Void; it seemed like an insult to Ink who hated the endless white space.</p><p>At first he thought about his flower moon but in the end, the Star Council offered him a permanent home in that universe, even after the Red Echo was done and dusted; and he was not second in command of them anymore, then role went to Blueberry.</p><p>Error waited a couple of years to remove the peony flowers.</p><p> </p><p>And he planted them with his children. And his little Inks loved his flower moon. The love for Ink cooled off but thankfully he saw them as different from Ink, so he did not lose the love he had for his little ones. It had worried him.</p><p>Between raising the children, working both his job and Ink's job, he tries to date Dream.</p><p> </p><p>'Tries' being the keyword here.</p><p> </p><p>Since the children acted younger than what they were, they needed a lot of care and attention... a lot and lot of attention...</p><p>It seemed to Error that Ink's little hell spawns did everything they could to ruin each and every outing Error and Dream had together.</p><p> </p><p>And the two adults decided it was best to wait until they become a little older before getting into anything. The golden pocket watch was acting like a promise of good things to come.</p><p> </p><p>Error wiggles slightly, trying to loosen the skeletons that were upon him. And he growls loudly, rattling a warning to them. They giggle in delight and rattle back in answer.</p><p>Error sighs out loudly but smiles, thinking of their day ahead.</p><p> </p><p>Error decided to teach his sons how to do their 'mother's' job, but that seemed to be a long way away. He knew they were already good at art since he had given them every art supply that was made under the sun over the last three years. He did not shy them away from anything art related, and make sure they did arts each and every day.</p><p> </p><p>And they loved it!</p><p> </p><p>Of course, with Error doing Ink's work for many years, he had also been gathering paint. However, he did not need that paint as a reward. Not sure what to do with it, since it would fall into his Anti-Void like a waterfall; Error just began sending it to his moon. Filling up the craters and making paint lakes and rivers.</p><p>Of course, Error met up with the real Ink every day. The artist was declared dead however never dusted. So Dream offered a large glass coffin to be made, it was kept in the centre of Star Council HQ.</p><p>His children also met with Ink. Raising them to explain everything to them carefully, letting them know and understand just how important the artist was. They still seemed too young to understand this.</p><p>It did not come as a surprise to Error when flowers began to bloom once again. However, this was the first time they appeared so quickly after the last removal of the poney flowers.</p><p> </p><p>Chrysanthemums.</p><p> </p><p>Thankfully Sci had come up with something that seemed to keep the flowers and pain at bay- just the roots were alive under his bones and only sometimes did a flower pop up anywhere on him.</p><p>Error also discovered that his children were able to pluck the flowers; something only the one the flower owner loved should be able to do. What Sci points out that they were Ink's clones. But Error points out, they were not Ink.</p><p> </p><p>So this remains a mystery.</p><p> </p><p>When the flower was pluck, along with some of its roots, then they would go to his moon and help him plant them. Soon a small area covered by chrysanthemums of every colour they were known in.</p><p>Chrysanthemums had many different meanings.</p><p>They symbolize love and deep passion, neglected love or sorrow, loyalty and honesty, a wish to get well, lasting friendship and non-romantic affection, support from your family and loved ones, cheerfulness and good spirits, rest and recovery after a long trial or challenge, enduring life and rebirth, especially the birth of a child and loyalty and devotion, both romantic and platonic.</p><p> </p><p>"*get up." Error snaps at them at last, the morning had already come and gone. He knew this was his lazy day but that did not mean he wanted to spend it in bed.</p><p>No one moved.</p><p> </p><p>A laugh. A giggle. A snort. And did someone rattle at him 'nope'?</p><p> </p><p>"*all of ya off me now." Error snaps again, he frowns when the one around his skull moves to stare at him, pink eyelights stare at him.</p><p> </p><p>A strange crack was heard, this made them all dart off of him fast, surprised at the sudden noise. With a frown Error quickly sat up and scanned his children- who had cracked their bones.</p><p>Error glances down. He had a mighty crack in the middle of his sternum- flowers stuck out. It did not even hurt.</p><p> </p><p>Blue Ink leans down and began to deflower Error. Purple Ink follow his lead. Then Green. Soon each Ink was taking some of the chrysanthemums out of his bones and tossing them somewhere behind them, ready to pick up later to plant.</p><p>His bones continued to crack, then snap and break in places all over his body. The flowers had never come up this fast before. They normally slowly rose up over a long period of time.</p><p>Error's mind began to think up answers.</p><p> </p><p>'*side effect. maybe suppressing the flowers had been a wrong move...' Error thinks in slight horror, blood had not fallen, 'why was there no blood?'</p><p>In his mind's eye, he sees the flower drinking the blood from many years ago- it had something they had not been able to fully research, given the fight against the Red Echo, since Sci's focus had to go elsewhere.</p><p>Error's bones break more. The flowers were now growing faster than the children could plunk them.</p><p>Error raises a hand and opens a portal to Sci's lab- he watches as his old friend glances through the opening completely confused.</p><p> </p><p>"*hi." Error utters at the sight of his dear friend.</p><p>Sci was wide awake now, he quickly goes through and shoos the little Inks away and began to check Error out. The arm Error used to open the portal drops slightly, only the roots kept it falling off completely.</p><p>"*ya better get dream here to babysit." Sci said grimly, he removes Yellow who wanted a hug from his father, "i need ya to come with me."</p><p> </p><p>Error opens a portal to the place where he knew Dream would be this time of the day; Ink's coffin. The happy skeleton looks through and is alarmed quickly.</p><p>"*need ya to watch them for a while dream." Error told his love interest, who already had tears in his sockets at the sight of him.</p><p>"*Error!" Dream cries out, kneeling on the bed and leaning over him, he gently touches the top of his skull, "Are you okay? What's wrong with him? What are these flowers?"</p><p>Error grits his teeth, he had never told Dream about the chrysanthemums, he did not want to explain how he was in love with Ink.</p><p> </p><p>"*i'm tell ya later..." Error answers with a heavy sigh, he turns to look at his children, who all were looking at him. All wanted to reach for him, but Sci was keeping them back.</p><p> </p><p>Dream let out a sob as Error's bones cracks and his other arm drops. The Inks who was used to the sight of the flowers appearing did not understand this to be a bad thing, it was their normal.</p><p> </p><p>"*i need to do some tests." Sci said as he motions for his lab assistants to come through the still open portal, "but it looks like suppressing the growth and letting the roots linger in the bones has to lead to them cutting off the magic to them."</p><p>"*oh. is that all?" Error said with a laugh, trying not to scare the Inks who had taken one look at the crying Dream and now realized that something bad was happening.</p><p> </p><p>A stretcher was carried in and placed next to Error's side.</p><p> </p><p>"*dream. take them away." Error told his future mate, who stares at him for a moment then nods.</p><p>"*Children. Come with me." Dream said as calmly as he could, carefully concealing his emotions now, something he should have done at the start.</p><p> </p><p>The Inks refused.</p><p> </p><p>Getting an idea Dream sends a message to his brother to come quickly, through his SOUL- a black fog rose from the corner and Nightmare appears- he takes one look at Error, a look towards Dream who was sidestepping the children to keep them away from Error, a look at Sci's stressed expression, a look to the lab assistants who were waiting for orders.</p><p>Black mist forms behind the nightmare, eight long tentacles rushed at the little Inks- they all began crying loudly, rattling hard, begging to be with their father.</p><p>Error closed his ears off to them, there was nothing he could do in this state he was in.</p><p> </p><p>Soon Nightmare, Dream and the eight Inks disappear from the room and leaving Error and Sci to stare at each other.</p><p> </p><p>"*... once i'm done with ya." Sci told the glitch firmly, "i wanna get the roots out... but ya bones suddenly seem so brittle. i'm worried."</p><p>Error falls back on his pillow. The day had started off so normal.</p><p>The ERROR glitches madly as the lab assistants reach for him and lift him onto the stretcher.</p><p> </p><p>"*wait!" Error said as they carry him towards the open portal. They were startled and almost drop him. He points to the flowers that had alright been pluck, "my flowers."</p><p> </p><p>Sci looks around at the different coloured chrysanthemums, then turns to Error, who was starting to look like the day Ink come with him when his daffodil had overtaken him.</p><p> </p><p>"*bob! gather these flowers." Sci orders Bob, who hurries through the portal and quickly grabs the flowers, a couple of other monsters come in to help.</p><p>Soon Error was carried through the portal half fallen apart from the overgrowing flowers; his he went through to Sci's universe, he glances to the other portal he opened for Dream to come in.</p><p><br/>He looks towards Ink's coffin.</p><p> </p><p>The artist was sitting up in the glass coffin, looking around confused. Error tries to call out, but his jaw drops and flowers break out.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. The Vow Arc: Boneus Chapter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The artist kicks his feet back and fore over the edge of space, staring up at the heavens above, in his hands he plays with the ends of this light brown scarf- Ink was in Outer Tale. A place where the ERROR was known to come.</p><p>Ink barely remembers this ERROR character, certain sights, smells and hearing brought hazy images to mind and he could just about recall this Sans that was called the Destroyer of Worlds.</p><p> </p><p>The only reason Ink even knew these details, was because it was written in a hidden part on his scarf.</p><p> </p><p>It seems this was not the first time the ERROR had vanished from the multiverse for a long enough time for him to be forgotten and the Ink of the past did not want to lose sight of this strange glitch and carefully made this tiny patch of information regarding him.</p><p>The current Ink wanted so badly to meet this skeleton that had caught his attention so badly. However, there was a little something that held him back from seeking him out.</p><p>The ERROR liked in the depths of the Anit-Void. A place with endless white that went on for an eternally.</p><p> </p><p>There was no way Ink was willing to go there, no matter how much he wanted to see what the ERROR was like. So Ink waited... but he felt like he could not wait any longer.</p><p> </p><p>Standing he swings his giant paintbrush into the air, throwing a large puddle of green paint onto the ground beside him. There was no way he could reach this place alone. And since he that the ERROR's coordinate for his part of the Anti-Void for some weird reason, all he needed was a helping hand.</p><p>Ink leaps through and finds himself in a twirl of colours as he rips through the multiverse's codes and files until he found the one he was looking for.</p><p> </p><p>"*Hiya Core!" Ink greets with a bold grin, as he lands on his feet, "Can I get your help with something?"</p><p>Core Frisk, the monochrome fake child, stares at him with a slight frown.</p><p><strong>[Of course Ink.]</strong> Core Frisk answers him, out-coded characters without their own universe or timeline they could not see their past present or future, so always trended carefully with them,<strong> [What can I do for you?]</strong></p><p>"*I need to get to the part of the Anti-Void where the ERROR lives." Ink declares happily like he had not just announced his own death, it was a common fact that Error tries to kill those who enter.</p><p><strong>[Are you sure?]</strong> Core Frisk questions, but they were in no position to say no to the guardian of the multiverse.</p><p>"*I'm sure!" Ink said with a firm nod, getting his paintbrush ready for Core Frisk to help.</p><p><strong>[Okay.]</strong> Core Frisk answers as they raise their hands, <strong>[I'm starting-]</strong></p><p> </p><p>And just like that Ink found himself staring in white nothingness. There were no shadows, none any real like- there was no line of the horizon or any breaks in the 'sky' above. He could have been staring at a white wall inches from his face for even he knew.</p><p>Ink's fear paint began their work and he wonders if this was a mistake after all.</p><p>Breathing hard he looks around in a panic to see any colour of any kind.</p><p> </p><p>Nothing but white!</p><p> </p><p>Ink's sockets widen, the sweat of fear run down his skull, he began rattling loudly as the terror of this place overtook him. Ink starts to curl in on himself grabbing his hands over his skull and dropping to his knees while closing his orbits.</p><p>On opening... he sees bright yellow on against the white 'floor' below.</p><p> </p><p>It was a yellow flower.</p><p> </p><p>There was green too!</p><p> </p><p>Ink uncurl himself and stares in wonder at the small flower, wondering why such a thing was here.</p><p>The flower's stem went under him and behind, so raising to his feet Ink turns around and sees something that makes his paints bubble within him.</p><p> </p><p>A mount of yellow flowers.</p><p> </p><p>It was beautiful.</p><p> </p><p>So lovely.</p><p> </p><p>It saved him from the painful white.</p><p> </p><p>Ink did not know just some long he was there staring at the nice shade of yellow and rich green under them, but soon something came to his mind.</p><p> </p><p>"*Why are these here?" Ink questions moving forward, not ready caring that he was not stepping on some of the flowers, "How are these here? Nothing grows in this place!"</p><p>Ink moves closer to the main mount of flowers, studying them closely, completely forgetting where he was.</p><p>Through a small gap, he sees something flickering wildly.</p><p> </p><p>Reaching for the flowers he digs in and tore slightly, wanting to see just what lay under there- more strange flickering...</p><p> </p><p>"*Glitches." Ink said out loud, he did not know why he knew this but he did, "Wait! The ERROR glitches right!?"</p><p>Ink moves back slightly and grabs his scarf rereading some words and confirming that there was what he thought they were. Dropping his scarf he reaches for the mount some more and rips a large chuck away; blood came pouring out, and Ink sees a redbone that was glitching like crazy.</p><p> </p><p>"*I think I know what this is." Ink mumbles out staring at in wonder. And suddenly his memories of Error came flooding through, "Flowers. Those love flower sickness. And Error was dating Sci right?"</p><p>Ink realized what had happened. Sci had broken up with Error and the heartbroken glitch had locked himself up in his home.</p><p>"*No." Ink voice growls darkly, "I won't let it end this way!"</p><p>Rushing forward he reaches the mount of flowers and held onto it, finding the skeletons form he lifts it up into his arms, with his strength he could easily take Error and the flower's weight.</p><p> </p><p>"*Can you hear me Core?!" Ink screams into the white nothing, then quickly shut his sockets and stares at the yellow cluster in his arms, "I know you're still connected! Take me to Sci!"</p><p>The world shifts around him, turning pitch black and then a lab appears.</p><p> </p><p>"*SCI!" Ink roars at the Sans who jumps out of his desk chair in complete shock, "What did you do to Error!"</p><p>"*nothing. how. he's never got this far before." Sci says sounding oddly pleased, he comes closer over for Ink to hiss at him, making the scientist step back in horror at the SOULless expression the artist was showing him, "ink. ya need to give him to me. i can save him. if ya let me."</p><p>"*You're the reason for this!" Ink hisses stepping forward, causing Sci to step back, "So, of course, you're going to fix him!"</p><p>"*ok. er. follow me quickly. i need to get my team together." Sci says rushing over to his phone on his deck and began making calls.</p><p> </p><p>What happened next Ink could not tell. Many monsters came hurrying in, someone took Error out of his still reaching arms. Ink follows. But Sci kept telling him to leave.</p><p>Ink did not care, he only wanted to follow Error. Error was dying- he was not stupid he knew the sound of dusting when he heard it.</p><p>Ink made the mistake of drinking some of his paint while watching the monsters would on removing the flowers. And ended up crying his sockets out, begging those there to save Error. Ink did not understand the meaning behind these words, he was sure he was just following the emotions, so he did not question it.</p><p> </p><p>Someone lead him out of the room, but he began getting more upset when leaving Error only. claiming that he did not want to have him die without him by his side.</p><p> </p><p>It took hours to remove the flowers, and more hours to remove the bloody roots. Soon Error's glitching form came into view and Ink cries again, this time in relief. Only for that to be crushed some more when the sound of a cracking SOUL could be heard echoing throughout the room.</p><p>Soon the monsters working on Error began racing around, all knowing what to do in these times and soon had him hooked onto many different machines than Ink had seen when he gets healed here.</p><p>Error SOUL rose up and breaks. Ink felt something breaking in him as well and all his paints seemed to be draining from him.</p><p> </p><p>Ink froze at what happened next.</p><p> </p><p>The broken SOUL glitched back together, shocking the monsters who were ready for the dusting. It soon began to break once more. The monsters just stared in shock.</p><p> </p><p>Again it glitched to be whole once more.</p><p> </p><p>"*STOP just standing there!" Ink yells at them with a deadly hiss, "Fix him!"</p><p>"*don't pay attention to the soul!" Sci calls out to his team, "just keeping moving as if his soul is not breaking."</p><p> </p><p>The monsters followed their leader's orders but which time the SOUL snaps and cracks, they all flinched.</p><p>Ink silently watches from his place by the walls, mumbling to himself the ERROR was going to be alright over and over. Then all movement had stopped, the team was moving around Error a lot slower.</p><p> </p><p>"*ink. we're moving him to the care unit. he'll be kept under watch there." Sci told him with a small tired smile, "are you coming up with us?"</p><p>"*Yes." Ink said without any emotions, dull and lifeless, it was creeping Sci out, "Let me be with him."</p><p> </p><p>Ink watches over the ERROR rarely leaving his side during his recovery, worrying his friends and followers- but Ink chose not to care about anyone other than Error, so cut off his 'feelings' towards them.</p><p>Ink had a screaming match with one of the doctors over them wanting to end Error's life's support. Sci stepped in before Ink could murder the monster. Sci told them that he had written up Ink as Error's next of kin, so it was Ink choice if the machines got to switch off.</p><p>Time past; Ink rarely left his side. Error was taken out of the care unit and into a different room with less machine and Sci told the artist that Error would soon recover.</p><p> </p><p>Ink had never had such experiences, so many emotions are used all at ones. He was somewhat grateful toward Error, at the same time he never wanted to feel like that again...All those 'bad' emotions were worth it when Error opens his orbits. Ink had not known this type of joy before. But he wanted to experience more and more of these kinds with Error.</p><p> </p><p>The artist silently vowed to keep this skeleton with him forever, no matter what.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. The Hive Arc: Rainbow Inks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Hive Arc might be taken place between #12 and #13.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error stares through the one-way mirror in horror; glancing to one side of him, he watching Sci writing down notes as fast as he could, the expression of insane interest on his features.</p><p>At first, Error went to punch him; what stops him from doing this, was that he knows that he would have done and acted the same way if they were not his children.</p><p>The ERROR tries to think back over the last three years- he thought he had been doing an okay job raising the Rainbow Inks- clearly, he was mistaken.</p><p> </p><p>How did he make such a grave error?</p><p> </p><p>"*a hive mind?" Error mumbles for the tenth time in complete disbelief.</p><p> </p><p>When he took in the Inks, they had been babies in children's bodies; he had to teach them how to live in a form that they should have adjusted to through the years. They could not speak, nor walk, nor even eat. He had to do everything for them.</p><p>To save time, he had done everything as a group. Teaching and nursing them. He chose to simply have them wear the same clothing items since it would help with confusion as to who's belonged to who's; a black and white striped jumper with brown shorts.</p><p>And now, they 'signed' getting a voice, they ate on their own and walked on their own. Everything was going great, even if there were times he struggled.</p><p> </p><p>And he never really called out to them by their names as individuals, never needed to, calling out to them as 'Inks' to get them to come to him since they were always together.</p><p>After noticing that, yes, they truly were always together and that he never saw one alone- them choosing to walk as one large group to pair- he begun seeing other odd things.</p><p> </p><p>For example:</p><p>He had helped Pink Ink and Yellow Ink hide from the next door's kids in a game of 'Hide and Seek'. However, on seeing Purple Ink and Orange Ink on the next round, they had thanked him as if they had been Pink Ink and Yellow Ink.</p><p>He had been confused and wondered if he had been mistaken but he knew he was not- he watched as the new pair went to the same place it had hidden the other two. And the first pair had not been given a chance to tell the second pair.</p><p>After some time he started to sees more and more of these little things that begun to add up to something larger; the moment was when he had called out to a one by their names, while they all were sitting watching a movie; they did not reply- after a moment he called them 'Inks' and them all turned their skulls in time.</p><p> </p><p>So Error set up a little test. He had four sit in one room and four in the other, he showed the first group cards and told them they had to memory what was on them. But he asked the second group what the cards were. And the second group answered correctly.</p><p> </p><p>Error rang up Sci right away and told him his theory, who sounded so delighted that Error <em>really</em> wanted to go back on his word about never touching his universe.</p><p>The Inks hated Sci and his labs, but this needed to be done.</p><p>Sci ran tests after tests for the whole day. And to Error dismay, he was proven right.</p><p> </p><p>The little Inks shared a hive mind. Their thoughts the same, their likes and dislikes the same, their memories the same. All acted as one unit.</p><p> </p><p>"*what can be done?" Error questions Sci, who stares at him blankly, then moans, "sci. please tell me. they can not share a mind their own lives."</p><p>"*well. i did notice that the further i away i took one from the main group." Sci answers with a sigh, "the reaction time was slower. it might mean they can share a hive mind. but with time and the right training. they could learn to separate themselves."</p><p>"*good. how do we do that?" Error asks eagerly and watching Sci just shrug his shoulders. The glitch heavily, then moans out again, "sci. please help here."</p><p>"*i really don't know. it might just be trial and error." Sci told him with a helpless smile, "but hey. ya can be as smart as me when ya try. can't ya think of anything?"</p><p>Error frowns. He had enough to do without adding to it by 'thinking' to the mix, that was Sci's job.</p><p>"*personalities can be formed through experiences." Error ponders out loud, "so if i take them away from each other and give them different experiences. then they might recognize that they're different."</p><p>"*its a start. it might work... and." Sci agrees with a grin, "can ya record everything- what's that look for?"</p><p> </p><p>Error facing away, hiding his glaring he knew he had. He looks towards the glass, where on the other side was the little Inks sat, all colouring in on pieces of paper. None looked happy at all, no doubt not liking being in the labs the whole day.</p><p> </p><p>"*they always draw different things." Error points out, remembering this fact, "so i never dreamt this would happen... am i to blame?"</p><p>"*no. ya have eight babies in children bones. ya had a hard time taken on this task." Sci tells his friend, patting him lightly on the arm and was kind of happy that the ERROR no longer glitches at his touch, "strange that. everyone loves the inks. but no one but dream wanted to raise them. won't even babysit them willingly."</p><p>"*perhaps they already knew that they were going to be so hyperactive." Error said with a laugh, which was true. Once the Inks learned certain things, like walking, they were running, they become little hell raises, "will ya take the other seven. when i take one?"</p><p>"*sure. but it might be better if we find others who are willing." Sci said, knowing from what he just said this would be hard, "they hate it here. and now they are older and know to sign. they should be able to do what they are told."</p><p> </p><p>Taking one last look at them through the glass, Error turns to the door, going to reclaim his adopted children once more. Sci followed just behind him.</p><p>The glitch opens the door to the next room- four Inks backs were facing him and on the other side, four Inks faced him; as soon as those facing him spot him, the four with their back to him turn. They all happily smile at him, then rush at him.</p><p>Soon his legs were trapped by the little Inks. All happy that their father was back.</p><p> </p><p>Error sighs. He knew they were not going to be happy with him- he was already thinking of many Sanses who owed him favours... he felt like he was going to own them favours once his prank-loving sons were let loose.</p><p> </p><p>"*inks. let's go." Error says surprisingly kindly to the children, who look let go and began following behind their father as he opens a portal that leads to their home.</p><p>Another sudden thought came to him, before closing the portal he waves Sci over, who came closer.</p><p> </p><p>The Inks settled on the sofas, all watching the scientist with blank expressions from behind Error's back- Sci shivers at their stare. He wondered if he should explain to Error that they never showed any emotion to anyone other than him.</p><p> </p><p>"*yeah error. what's up?" Sci asks hiding his discomfort from Error, he leans slightly into the portal when he notices that Error was leaning towards him.</p><p>"*sci. don't hive minds have queens?" Error questions with a deep frown, "which one is the queen?"</p><p> </p><p>Sci blinks in surprise, "*none showed any characteristics or qualities that success that there being a queen." he says with a frown now, "the only thing they showed was that they are linked through they minds and saw the world as one. that might be as deep as it goes. if there is a queen. it might be dormant until ya try and change things. then ya have to explain to that one why its best for them to have their own minds."</p><p>Error nods and pulls away, he turns to his sons, who all give him a happy smile.</p><p> </p><p>"*ok. thanks." Error said and waits for his friend to move away before closing the portal. He went over to his sons and hugs the first one he came across. He hears them speaking instead of rattling at him, and he smiles.</p><p>They had only just found their voices, it had been a shock when he was woken up in the night to hear one or two crying loudly. But he had hugged them, causing them to talk a little more. And they had gotten louder and louder, Error did not shut them up, he was used to hearing many voices.</p><p> </p><p>Error moves away and asks them all what they want for dinner, they rattle their answer- well, he could not ask them to give more than they were willing.</p><p> </p><p>As he moves away his thoughts went back to the back to the issue.</p><p> </p><p>Error really hopes there was no queen, it might be harder for them to break away from each other.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Somewhere in a glass case, a sleeping skeleton felt a sudden rush of joy and happiness, when his dreams displayed him being hugged by the one skeleton he always desired to be together with the most; always together.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>The Rainbow Inks heard that desire; they followed that desire. Because it was Error they love the most.</p><p> </p><p>They would do anything to keep with Error; Error who saved them from that lonely place and with those horrible monsters.</p><p> </p><p>Error, who give them real food and drink, other than that gross stuff the monsters forced fed them.</p><p> </p><p>Error, who let them run free under the sun, even though the other monsters told them to sit and not move.</p><p> </p><p>Error, who let them raise their new voices, even though the other monsters told them to keep silent.</p><p> </p><p>Error, who gave them many different colours, when all the other monsters let them stare at bare walls.</p><p> </p><p>Error, who was willing to give them hugs and cuddles, when the other monsters never wanted to even touch them.</p><p> </p><p>Error, who laughed in delight when they displayed their strange powers, even when the other monsters had shrunk back in fear of them.</p><p> </p><p>Error, who was willing to be by their side even when they showed their most terrible side, even when they knew that the other monsters hated this- even some of the new monsters they knew now, hated this.</p><p><br/>Error, who called them monsters, even when the other monsters called them subjects.</p><p> </p><p>Error, who told them that they were loved, even though the other monsters claimed that no one could love such failed subjects.</p><p><br/>And yes, while it had been Error who first saved them, kept them warm and fed them. Other monsters soon appeared to offer the same, and the little skeletons had been willing to give the new monsters a chance since these seemed to be wanting to help them too. However, they felt no warmth from these ones. Only Error had displayed undying kindness and love towards them, while all the others just felt fake.</p><p> </p><p>The Rainbow Inks love Error- Even if that strange desire was not pressing down upon them.</p><p> </p><p>They truly love their father.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. The Hive Arc: Red Ink</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error waits until the Rainbow Inks could understand fully his words, before beginning his plans; he got the aid of as many Sanses as he could to babysit seven of the Inks, while he took one away.</p><p> </p><p>For the first time, he just took one to visit Ink's Garden, since no one wanted to call that area a grave and it was a green space with lots of flowers that Dream planted- Error had wanted to surround Ink with his flowers, but liked them for his moon.</p><p>Ink's Garden was built in the centre of the Star Council HQ, only a few miles away from the housing estate the members lived. Here he spent an hour with each Ink; Error would just let them draw or paint. </p><p> </p><p>After spending eight hours with them in total, Error still had to go work both jobs, helping with universes grown, fight art blocks, destroy a glitch universe and patching or updating other ones; while his sons were sleeping during the nights.</p><p>Of course, the glitch got himself out of the pattern of sleep once again, as he had done in the Anti-Void. And kept this up for a month, before deciding to move a little further, taking them to the city.</p><p>Error always took them in this order: Red Ink, Yellow Ink, Pink Ink, Green Ink, Orange Ink, Purple Ink, Blue Ink and Lilac Ink.</p><p> </p><p>Today was the day.</p><p> </p><p>Error was taking the first one out for a whole day, while the others stayed behind.</p><p> </p><p>"*remember what i told you?" Error asks Red Ink, who was holding tightly onto his hand.</p><p>"*When Papa calls Red Ink, Papa in talking to Red Ink no one else but Red Ink." Red Ink replies with a bright smile and was happy when that smile was returned.</p><p>"*good boy red ink." Error praised pleased that this was already going well. It took five months before they noticed and grasp the change, it seemed that they had a memory of a goldfish...</p><p>"*Where is Papa taking Red Ink?" Red Ink asks glancing towards the portal, then gazes over his shoulder to stare at his other selves, who already looked bothered by the fact that they had to remain at Dream and Nightmare's home while he got to spend the whole day with their beloved father.</p><p> </p><p>Error flinches at this, he was pleased that they had learned to recognize their own names -at first, they kept getting mixed up- but he was a more upset that they would address themselves in the third person, instead of using 'me' and 'i', in the end he learnt to deal with it, however, it still made him feel like a little bit of a failure.</p><p> </p><p>"*well. i want different things for different inks." Error told his son, even after all these months, he still found it strange having only one with him, "so i asked a bunch of sanses of put some activities that not art related. you alright with that red ink?"</p><p>"*Of course Papa! Red Ink is happy with this!" Red Ink answers with a bright smile, he lets go of his father's hand and wraps his arms around Error's middles, leading his skull of the hip. Error pats the child of the skull.</p><p>"*this is the place." Error announced, causing the child to look towards the building, "it's a tennis court. here we will learn how to play tennis."</p><p>"*Ten-is? Red Ink does not know what this is." Red Ink told Error, cutely tilting his skull.</p><p>"*tennis is a sport's game. we hit a ball across to each other. er. over a net. with a bat... i think." Error explains plainly; truth was, he had never played tennis, he had never played any kind of sports; he would rather curl up with a book or do research on something.</p><p> </p><p>Error frowns in thought, was fighting classed as a sport? He was self-taught if that was the case.</p><p>The glitch leads his son over to the main entrance and on walking in, sees the desk to the left and heads over; there was a male bird monster seated behind there, he had bright yellow feathers, along beck and small black beanie eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"*hi." Error asks trying and failing to keep his voice glitch and static-free- there was a corkboard behind the desk, explaining coaching lesson for beginners with the programs they ran. "can we get a quick lesson? for first-timers."</p><p> </p><p>The bird frowns at him, he slowly slid his eyes downward then upwards, then downwards. Those black eyes lingered on Red Ink for a moment, before quickly going back to Error's skull.</p><p>A fake smile crosses the bird's beck.</p><p> </p><p>Error did not care, he once remembered Ink saying he looked like a hobo, so he was used to being stared at in universes that did not know him. And he had chosen this universe because they should never have heard of Error.</p><p> </p><p>"Of course sir!" The bird says voice strained, he seemed to be twitching, "you're going to have to wait while our other beginner finishes up! Then the coach who does those lessons will be with you."</p><p>"*sure. whatever." Error mumbles, he hated interacting with new monsters. If not for his sons, he could be a recluse, going out only to do his job... like he had done once upon a time.</p><p>"Can I get your name?" The bird said quickly before Error could turn towards the lobby's waiting area.</p><p>"*error." Error told bluntly, then nods to his son, "this is red ink."</p><p>"Redink." The bird said looking at the skeleton child with interest, causing Error to be on alert, he had checked this place beforehand, it was a peaceful universe where monsters had never been trapped, but even these places had their dangers.</p><p>"*Red Ink not Redink." Red Ink told the bird unhappily, he did not like this monster.</p><p>"Sorry. Red Ink. Are you well today?" The bird monster said, suddenly he spots someone and waves them over, "please Red Ink. Wait for us."</p><p> </p><p>Error took those words as a sign to leave the front desk and sit down.</p><p>Error sat closes to the wall, he had thought Red Ink would get his sketchbook out and draw, yet for some reason, he took a seat next to him. And then sat not still and silent. Another alarm bell went off in Error's skull.</p><p>Being the paranoid schizophrenic that he was, he glances around, checking where all the exits were. While he would normally fight to the death in any other case, with Red Ink with him, he was not afraid to run. Pride be damned.</p><p>Error and Red Ink wait for about ten minutes before a fire monster calls them over, waving them into a room.</p><p>Error did not take Red Ink's hand, instead walks in front of him, to shield him from any attacks.</p><p> </p><p>On reaching the door, Error blinks, realizing just how silly he was being. And no doubt scaring Red Ink by his behaviour, in fact, that might be the reason the little skeleton was so silent.</p><p>Still, Error walks in through the door and was immediately grabbed by two creatures from both sides- he glitches badly and cries out in static at the sudden contact. Just because he was used to the Rainbow Inks jumping all over him, does not mean he was over his haphephobia.</p><p> </p><p>The two on him forces him to the ground while he reboots, then pulls his arms behind his back.</p><p>While this was going on, someone had grabbed Red Ink and was dragging him away.</p><p> </p><p>The child never uttered a word but was rattling loudly.</p><p> </p><p>It was the intense rattling that made Error's reboot go quicker.</p><p>Soon he blinks through the ERROR signs; then was a knee digging into his upper spine...</p><p> </p><p>With a rage Error summons a wave of bones below him, years of battling meant he had trained himself to do this without the use of his hands- in other words, at will.</p><p>On standing he roars out in rage, glitching wildly he began his attack. The painful shouts of mercy were not listened to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>DX ~ XD</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Error bends over and drank deeply from the water fountain he found of the tennis court's ground- it was cool and refreshing.</p><p>On straightening, he looks down at Red Ink- the little skeleton had clung onto his leg and was refusing to let go.</p><p>The old skeleton felt bad, not for the dust he caused, but for the fact that Red Ink had seen him dusting monsters. As well as killing humans. Blood was always harder to get out than dust.</p><p>Then the glitch gazes around at the damage he caused- the whole building had been half torn down, places even were on fire.</p><p>With a heavy sigh, Error bends down again, this time taking hold of Red Ink and bringing him into his arms.</p><p> </p><p>This was not the day out he had planned.</p><p> </p><p>However, he had found out why he had been targetted. That dumb bird had thought he was a hobo who kidnapped Red Ink, so had called the police.</p><p> </p><p>"*let's go home. we'll try again another day." Error spoke up, at last, he had heard police cars, fire engines and helicopters in the distance.</p><p>Red Ink nods and wraps his arms around Error's neck.</p><p>"*and red ink. don't share ya memories with the other inks. okay?" Error asks as kindly as he could, wanting this to be a request and not a demand.</p><p>Red Ink nods again, burying his face into his father's collarbone.</p><p>"*and please. don't ever kill again." Error told him firmly, "the choices ya make reflect on me. ya father. so until ya grow up and able to make ya own choices. disarm. don't kill."</p><p>"*But they were hurting Papa." Red Ink said, at last, there was angry in his tone, but not towards Error- never towards his beloved father- this angry was directed towards those monsters who caused his strong father to become frozen and to cry out, almost like he was in pain.</p><p>"*i know. but promise me. that ya won't do that again." Error asks his voice softening, "i am strong. no matter how many times i am beaten down. i will stand back up. ya only need to wait. i will teach you and ya brothers how to defend yourselves. and when ya all a bit older. to fight. and i'll be more aware of my outward appearances. so this will not happen again. red ink. this will never happen to ya again."</p><p> </p><p>The noises were getting closer, so Error turns away and heads towards some trees, he wanted to be sure Red Ink understood how important this was before heading back home; and if he wanted to say anything else.</p><p> </p><p>"*... but I can not share this with Red Ink's other selves?" Red Ink said with a deep frown, he had not lifted his skull out of Error's collarbone.</p><p>"*ya can tell them. with words. but not share ya memories. red ink. those memories belong to you. red ink." Error answers, glancing towards the skies were three helicopters came into view- the wind caused the trees around them to bent.</p><p>"*Memories belong to Red Ink." Red Ink mumbles always sadly, "That seems lonely Papa."</p><p>"*son. i'm not saying ya never to share ya memories again. or to break off ya link. just a few memories keep for yourself. just red ink." Error explains as best he could, he felt it was time to go.</p><p> </p><p>Opening a portal, Error entered quickly- reminding himself that he could no longer kill off universe just because he did not like it like he used to. The universe itself had nothing wrong with it. Still, he knew this was going to be a place where he would shove his rotten food in from now on.</p><p>Error blinks when he came through the portal, staring in shock at the utter shambles Dream and Nightmare's home was.</p><p> </p><p>"*what the hell happened?!" Error shouts loudly, making Red Ink lifts his skull, "we were gone for three hours!"</p><p> </p><p>Turning he sees Dream, shaking a finger in the faces on seven unashamed little skeletons outside the rubble of his house.</p><p>Once seeing Error, they disregard whatever Dream was saying to them, rushing over to meet</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In another universe, a sleeping skeleton's fingers twitch. A slightly frown appears and vanishes as quickly as it came. The skeleton did not like the dream he was having.</p><p>And what was more, there was nothing he could do to help. Only watch from the sidelines as his favourite skeleton was manhandled roughly to the ground. An odd sense of rage washed over him, that did not come from his paints.</p><p> </p><p>The fingers twitch again.</p><p> </p><p>And he gains his power to the little skeleton whose eyes he watched through.</p><p>One thought in mind: Protect Error.</p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p>Inks were their names. But Red Ink was his name.</p><p>It belonged to him. </p><p>Gifted to him by his beloved father.</p><p> </p><p>Red Ink explains through his mind what had happened up to a certain point. And they, in turn, understood why they kept this to themselves. They also understood that their father would be asking this from each other them the next time they would be taken out.</p><p>Then with his own words, Red Ink told them everything, not leaving anything out. Red Ink felt the emotions of his others washing over them.</p><p>The Inks went on to explain to him with their own words, that they had felt that he and Error had been in danger- that they had a strange power go into them. That was why they began attacking the house, in search of Error.</p><p>The Inks could not use portals like their father.</p><p>They also knew that it was their 'mother' who had given them the power to do this- while they lost contact with their other parts when going into another universe, they never lose contact with 'mother' no matter where in the multiverse they went- they wondered if their 'mother' would teach this to them how to use portals...</p><p> </p><p>But before that, they will prank Dream for not listening when they told him something was wrong with their father- that stupid adult could have easily gone to check and have saved Error the pain.  </p><p> </p><p>Red Ink silently watches his <strike>other se </strike>his brothers- he could hear them plotting. The skeleton kept his word to their father. Keeping these memories locked in his own mind- the things that happened, the words his father had told him, <em>he</em> would never forget. And he will learn to fight, to protect. </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. The Hive Arc: Yellow Ink</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was three weeks later when Error decides to try again, during that time Red Ink was very clinging towards him- wanting more hugs and attention than the others. Even while the other Inks went off, Red Ink would remain with him for ten seconds longer.</p><p>The glitch also noticed that the red-eyed little skeleton had begun copying Error's habits.</p><p>When Error would go into any building, he would check the place and depend on if the children were with him or not; the ERROR kept to the walls, carefully studied all exits to whatever room he was in, and found a point where he could watch each one- here he could see who comes and goes.</p><p> </p><p>Error sometimes circled around the Inks, whenever they were in an opened space; he would watch the high grounds and stares into the darker places. Only once he deemed it safe, would he interact with his sons, but always on alert.<br/>Error did this all the time with the Inks, it was surprising that Red Ink had picked on his habit.</p><p>Well... he did want them to develop differently... so this was a start, not the best, but a start.</p><p> </p><p>Error had not felt the threat in the tennis courts, perhaps he was lacking since times were peaceful at the moment- he must never forget just who he is.</p><p>When Error it told his sons he was taking Red Ink out again, the small skeleton visible tensed; then the child told Error that he wanted to learn to fight.</p><p> </p><p>This surprised Error. He had already told Red Ink to wait until they were older until he trained them, however, the child had spoken up his desire for himself and not as a whole... while Error was debating this, he sees a pouty expression... and gave in.</p><p> </p><p>Error did not want his son to become a loose cannon like he was- while one of the strongest monsters in the multiverse, the glitch weakness was that he can have tantrums; and in fits of fury go into a rampaging frenzy. During these moments, others had an edge of him.</p><p> </p><p>And Error did want them to learn a hobby for their own, so while not martial arts for Red Ink? It was a form of fighting that was classed as 'sports', Error knew enough to know that martial arts had some sort of discipline attached to it.</p><p> </p><p>So the glitch went through the multiverse, devoting time apart from the Inks in favour of examining the universes- much to their dismay. Then he found it:</p><p> </p><p>'Warrior Z Tale'</p><p> </p><p>It was a universe board lining a crossover. Error hates crossovers and would try to keep his multiverse crossover free, by deleting it as quickly as he could.</p><p>When explaining where they were going, the Inks asks what crossover was- don't the Sanses 'crossover' from their universe all the time?</p><p> </p><p>So Error sat them down and gave his sons a quick lesson; intentionally leaving out that he destroyed universes, they do not need to know this yet:</p><p>Different universes that were same was called AUs- an alternate universe, or parallel universes; self-contained realities co-existing with one's own. The same but different - 'Undertale' was their 'Seed Universe' and everything branched off of this.</p><p>Dimension Universes, however, was a universe that was a completely different set of characters, plot and premise- these had a conflicting Code and Magic that made it harder for Error to destroy once it was set in place.</p><p> </p><p>Warrior Z Tale had the same plot as a DU known as 'Dragonball'- he had learned the names of a few DUs that was popular with the Voices over the centuries and he was thankful that no 'Dragonball Fell' came through, or whatever that DU's AUs were known as.</p><p><br/>Error was even more thankful that Warrior Z Tale was not a well known AU so had no copies- since everyone where was OP there and he hated dealing with OP characters who always had some form of plot armour on or that one power that seemed to come out of nowhere.</p><p>DU there rare events- if it occurred Error would spend all his time and power bringing it down- sometimes spending years doing this.</p><p>So, Error took Red Ink there to train under the Tortoise Master Gerson. They spent the day there and told the Gerson there, that they would return in two weeks' time.</p><p>On returning home Red Ink began telling his brothers everything he learnt and started practicing. Error was impressed that a clone of Ink could remember it all.</p><p> </p><p>It was now time for Yellow Ink.</p><p> </p><p>With Yellow Ink, Error decided to let him choose, after what happened with the tennis courts and how Red Ink decided for himself. However Yellow Ink went straight to the Rainbow Inks and ask for they should train for... in order to fight in the future...</p><p>Error quickly halts the serious discussion the children who were meant to have the mindset of four-year-olds and firmly told them that this was meant to be a fun hobby to have in the future.</p><p>Yellow Ink stares at Error for a long moment then turns back to the other Inks.</p><p> </p><p>Error picks up Yellow Ink and moves him away from the others a few steps. It did not help, he could pinpoint when they talked in their minds now that he knew what to look for.</p><p> </p><p>"*okay. how about this. finding a hobby will be part of our day." Error told Yellow Ink, who grins boldly at him.</p><p>Turning he looks at Under Fell Sans, #13, who looked like he had just been told to kiss a Jerry- Error knew that #13 did not want to look after the Rainbow Inks; most did not, even though they all claim to love Ink so much.</p><p>"*just call some of ya friends over to help." Error tells #13, rolling his eyelights at the other Sans's behaviour.</p><p>"*sure boss." #13 mumbles out, turning towards the Rainbow Inks, who all turn their skulls towards him in union, their sockets empty and their features emotionless.</p><p>Opening a portal Error turns to his seven sons who were going to be left behind, "*play nice." he warns them lightly- he could already tell they were toying with #13 and he was trying hard not to laugh about it.</p><p> </p><p>Error picks up Yellow Ink once again, taking him through the portal to his flower moon. Once there he sat cross-legged on the ground in front of the sunflowers, with Yellow Ink on his right knee- he takes out a notebook that had the list of activities in it.</p><p> </p><p>"*remember what i told you and the others?" Error questions before he began reading the activities to the little skeleton.</p><p>"*Yellow Ink is Yellow Ink. No one else but Yellow Ink." Yellow Ink stated proudly, all the Rainbow Inks had been told their assigned colour, it took them a little while to notice that they had been named after they eyelights and SOUL colour.</p><p>And just in case, Error made them all bandannas with their colours on them.</p><p> </p><p>"*good." Error said with a nod, he gazes at the yellow bandanna wrapped around his son's skull, it did not go well with the set of striped clothes they all wore, "when ya discover all ya personalities for yourselves. we get ya some new clothes to match."</p><p>"*Can Yellow Ink get some new clothes now?" Yellow Inks asks sweetly, tilting his skull in the way he knew his father would coo over.</p><p> </p><p>It worked.</p><p> </p><p>Error abandoned the notebook and opens a portal to Multi-City, that was in a universe made for those glitches that escaped Error's reign of terror back in the day. After saving the Multiverse, he had been pardoned all his 'crimes' and he had to promise not to hunt down these remaining ones.</p><p>With that promise, Core Frisk allowed the survivors to leave their safe zone and enter into this universe. And Error was allowed to enter whenever he wanted, much to the horror of everyone.</p><p>Error still did not see his job as a 'crime'. It had to be done. But he said 'sorry' anyway, if over to stop Dream looking so sorrowful towards him.</p><p> </p><p>Error stand with Yellow Ink in his arms and walks through. He came into the heart of the shopping centre. Better known as a Mall- he had only discovered this building that contained lots of different shops in it, was called a 'mall', even at this age, he was still learning.</p><p>Yellow Ink laughs at all the different monsters walking around them- Error places the wiggling child on the floor, where he takes his hand.</p><p>Then Error began glancing all around him, noting every monster or human that was close- looking towards the glass roof high up above, then to the many different shops all around them.</p><p>A light tug made him look down. The smiling Yellow Ink points towards a shop.</p><p> </p><p>Error lets himself be pulled along by his son, they came to a stop in front of a window display that held lots of summer dresses in many different colours.</p><p>"*Pretty!" Yellow Ink cries out in delight, pushing his face against the glass- his little eyelights changing to stars, a common shape for Sanses to have when happy or excited.</p><p>Error gazes all around them, not liking having his back to so many monsters walking on by. But he pauses, remembering that in answer to his promise of not hunting these glitches down, these glitches were not allowed to take revenge.</p><p> </p><p>So he began paying attention to Yellow Ink.</p><p> </p><p>"*i can make these." Error told his son, who turns to him quickly with wide sockets.</p><p>"*Make? Papa can make these things?" Yellow Ink questions in complete awe, he then looks back at the dresses.</p><p>"*dresses. yeah. do ya want to try some on?" Error asks with a smile, the small skeleton's skull turns to him once more, again with wide eyes.</p><p>"*Really!?" Yellow Ink asks, then did something Error had never seen his sons do- Yellow Ink doubles over and vomits ink. Rich black ink; it shone in the sunlight that came through the thick glass above.</p><p> </p><p>Yellow Ink stares down in shock; sockets began to well up with tears.</p><p> </p><p>Error was fast to wipe up the ink from his chin, he remains the brown jumper with blue stripes, revealing a red vest under.</p><p> </p><p>"*its okay. this is normal for inks to vomit when they are overcome with emotion." Error says kindly, or trying to sound kindly- his voice never stayed the same, he wondered how his sons could listen to it every day or how Dream could like someone such as him.</p><p>Once Yellow Ink was cleaned up with the baby wipes Error always carries with him now, he nods towards the shop.</p><p>"*looks like we need a change of clothes anyway." Error says offering a hand, the child smiles brightly with a few sniffles and takes his father's hand.</p><p> </p><p>Together they walked through the large glass doors, where rows up rows of clothes greet them. Error had never seen so many clothing items in one place before. Everyone else always goes shopping for him and his sons.</p><p> </p><p>"*now. this would be a great place to play hide and seek." Error comments looking around, Yellow Ink giggles at this.</p><p>Error takes out his glasses and places on, then gazes at the area a little clearer- he spots the sign that read 'Children's Wear' and began walking towards there.</p><p>The glitch was pleased he had chosen not to wear his normal 'hobo' clothes- instead, he had on a neat white dress shirt, smart black trousers, with a fancy brown belt, along with sleek black shoes.<br/>While the monsters here knew who he was and who Yellow Ink was, he realized that he needed to dress a little nicer, for his son's sake. So he put in a little effort with these stolen clothes from Mob Tale Sans.</p><p> </p><p>Yellow Ink lets go of Error's hand and made a beeline for the dresses in his size. He quickly grabs one after another, tossing the ones he likes best towards his father, who catches them without fail.</p><p> </p><p>"*Can Yellow Ink have all them?!" Yellow Ink asks after he had picked out everything he liked the look of and everything he did not like ended on the floor. Each Error did not bother to pick up.</p><p>"*don't most monsters try them on first?" Error questions more to himself than Yellow Ink, he had seen movies were the characters would go into things called fitting rooms; he sees a sign labelled 'Fitting Room' just behind the cash counters, "yeah. ya try and on first. some clothes might look different once on. or ya may not like the way they feel. and then there's the style..."</p><p>Error glances down, pass the piles of dresses it had in his arms and sees Yellow Ink looking at him in awe once again.</p><p>"*anyway." Error says quickly, turning to moves by some racks, "let's go over."</p><p> </p><p>Error moves towards the fitting rooms, with Yellow Ink close at his heels. It did not take long and he walks right through, he pauses when someone halts him by running after him and standing in front of him.</p><p>On seeing who it was, the monster, who works there, fainted. They land on the ground with a heavy thump.</p><p>Error frowns down at the female cat monster. Seeing that they were well and truly down for the count, he steps over their form. Yellow Ink leaps over their form, laughing the whole time.</p><p>They come an opening, on one side was lots of mirrors while on the other side, were four openings with thick dark blue curtains- two of the four were open, so he heads towards the one closest to the wall; he did not want one where there might be two creatures either side of him.</p><p> </p><p>Error dumps the dresses on the seat that was inside and closes the curtains; his sons still needed help with changing. Gazing around, he finds mirrors in here as well and began to check himself out. The ERROR was still as vain as ever.</p><p>Yellow Ink waits, watching with a grin while Error runs a hand over the top of his skull and wiggling his browbone up and down at himself.</p><p>Noticing his son's stare, he quickly goes to his knees and began aiding in the changing of the garments.</p><p> </p><p>It took four hours for them to finish trying it all on.</p><p> </p><p>Each time he tried one on, Yellow Ink wanted to go outside and look in the larger mirrors- the glitch could not help but notice that the area seemed more empty than before and there was no one left in the other rooms.</p><p>The fainted cat monster was gone, replaced by a cow monster, who kept glancing inside, frowning every time Yellow Ink spun around in his dresses he liked the most.</p><p>Error would sit and watch Yellow Ink dance around happily in the dresses- a time of long ago came up into his mind. Back when Error first met Ink.</p><p> </p><p>Within the first three years gap of them meeting, Ink used to wear different outfits once every other time they battled each other. But the artist must have not liked getting his outfits damaged because he started keeping to one outfit Error came to know him always to wear.</p><p>Ink must not have thought him a worry, to begin with. Or perhaps Error got more deadly as time went on, so Ink felt he could not mess around anymore.</p><p>Well... these were all just theories.</p><p> </p><p>"Did you know that only girls can wear dresses." Came a female voice broke Error from his thought and makes Yellow Ink stop their mid-spin.</p><p>Error frowns when he sees Yellow Ink lower his skull gazing at his dress in confusion, slowly the child looks to his father with a question in his sockets.</p><p>Error gazes towards the exit, where the cow monster stood, staring between Error and Yellow Ink.</p><p> </p><p>"*what the hell does it matter to ya?" Error snaps at the female then glares hard at her causing her to back away slightly.</p><p>"I am just stating a fact. Do you really want your son- No. Ink's son to grow up thinking it's okay to go around dressed as a female." The cow said in a hurried tone; the glitch growls when Yellow Ink began looking down at the dress more.</p><p> </p><p>The child had learned that there was a difference between a male and female not long alone. But he may not fully understand what the cow was talking about; Error did.</p><p> </p><p>"*firstly. it ain't any of ya business." Error growls out, getting out of his seat and standing, "secondly. before ya poke ya nose where it doesn't belong. why don't ya get ya facts right. we are skeletons. skeletons are hermaphrodites."</p><p>"What?" The cow says with a deep frown, she looks towards someone outside.</p><p>"*its means we're both male and female." Error said stalking over to her, making her go a few steps back and fall onto her rear, "so here's a history lesson for ya. that ya can tell everyone ya like.</p><p>    the only reason we all use the male pronoun. is that when skeletons first began learning the common monster tongue. there had no word for what we referred to each other in: parent. child. sibling. etc. so skeletons adopted: father. son. brother.<br/>    it was only after skeletons lost their mother tongue. did skeletons began using the female pronoun. but that's still rare. every skeleton ya meet will always refer to himself in the male pronoun."</p><p> </p><p>Silence.</p><p> </p><p>Error grits his teeth. This was properly the most he had spoken to someone that outside of his little bubble and they say nothing.</p><p> </p><p>"But if you are sticking to being males, then be that." The cow declares loudly like she had won, "You called the child 'son'. So treat him as a boy."</p><p>"*... ya know. even if skeletons were not hermaphrodites." Error said in a bored tone, "i would still let him dress however he pleased."</p><p>"Ah!" The cow cries out with a nasty laugh, "I bet you just said all that because you wanted to get away with dressing him like this!" she points to where Yellow Ink, "You are clearly unfit to be a father!"</p><p> </p><p>Error flinches and glitches.</p><p> </p><p>That had always been one of his main worries. And he knows that the monsters of Multi-City did not want their wonderful artist's son being raised by the ERROR, but it still hurts to hear someone say this to him.</p><p>ERROR signs appeared in his sockets, static-filled his ears- he wanted nothing more than to dust her. But he had made a promise.</p><p>Gaining some of his senses, Error was about to snap at the cow, when Yellow Ink marching in front of the cow.</p><p> </p><p>"See Ink's son thinks so too!" The cow announces in glee, the static grew louder, "Don't you darling! Let's get out those dresses and get you something boys should wear. Perhaps we can find you a bett- OW!"</p><p> </p><p>Error blinks through the ERROR signs, at Yellow Ink.</p><p>The child had stamped his foot down on her hoof. And considering who's clone this was, that must have been painful, even if Yellow Ink was only a child. The cow bend right over grabbing her foot, now eye level with the small skeleton.</p><p> </p><p>Yellow Ink takes hold of the front of the cow's shirt and began hissing words that Error could not over the noise in his skull.</p><p>Error carefully walks over and picks up his son, then hugs him to his chest.</p><p> </p><p>"*we're buying the dresses now." Error says trying hard now to laugh as she falls to one side, tears falling from her eyes at the intent pain. Was that dust flaking off? The ERROR signs made it hard to see.</p><p>Error goes back to grab the dresses Yellow Ink wanted with one arm while keeping his son in the other. He then shortcuts to the cash register instead of walking, not wanting to risk running into something with Yellow Ink in his arms.</p><p>The monster at there quickly rang up everything, even if they wanted the destroyer out, they were still going to take his money. They were not let him bully them out of clothing just because of who he is.</p><p> </p><p>Now with many bags in hand, Error opens a portal to #13's house.</p><p> </p><p>With narrowed sockets, he stares at the place. Everything seemed to be in place, nothing on fire, nor broken. And no screaming.</p><p>Error shortcuts into the house. Like with Red Ink, he and Yellow Ink had returned much earlier than planned.</p><p>The glitch blinks, it was still hard to see, but most of the ERROR signs were fading.</p><p> </p><p>"*was it always this colourful in here?" Error asks Yellow Ink, gazing around. It was worrying that Yellow Ink had not said anything just yet.</p><p>"*PAPA!" Came the voices of many little Inks. Soon his legs were covered in little arms hugging him.</p><p>Error stares down, smiling at them. He must be doing an okay job if they are healthy happy to be with him, right?</p><p>"*okay. we're going home early." Error told them, to which they all cheered, to #13 he calls, "#13! i'm here now. i'm going home with my inks! ... where are ya?"</p><p>"*ok boss!" A voice from somewhere in the house answers at last, "see ya later!"</p><p>"*...thanks for watching them!" Error shouts back as he opens the portal to his house- the glitch smiles, he was becoming better and better with being grateful towards others. Perhaps being a father was bringing out the good in him.</p><p> </p><p>Error leaves #13 house. Never noticed that the Fell Sans and his 'backup' was painted to the ceiling helplessly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The skeleton was dreaming a happy dream. He was with Error, trying on different dresses, all of which the glitchy skeleton commented on- given an honest answer on something he enjoyed.</p><p> </p><p>Such a good time.</p><p> </p><p>So why did that cow come along and ruin it?</p><p>The skeleton in deep slumber had known Error long enough to know what he was greatly upset. While he could not hear all the words of the cow, the monster had made Error unhappy enough to glitch this badly.</p><p>And so action needed to be taken.</p><p>No one was allowed to cause Error harm.</p><p> </p><p>With a deep frown, the sleeping skeleton sends his strength over. And was pleased to see Error coming around rather fast. And then he was hugged by him.</p><p>The sleeping skeleton's jaws move slightly upwards to form a tiny smile... such a nice dream again.</p><p>Being with Error like this, he almost never wanted to wake up.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They were angry! They were fusing! They wanted to hurt that mad cow again!</p><p>Yellow Ink realizes that they were sending out thoughts and emotions to their other selves; then remembered what their Papa had explained many times.</p><p> </p><p>Keep memories of their days out to themselves; those belonged to him. Tell their other selves in word only.</p><p>Yellow Ink calms themselves, soon his other selves calmed as well.</p><p>Papa places them down with them. And they stare at themselves.</p><p> </p><p>Gazing around at his other parts, he stares at the different coloured bandannas, stares at the different eyelights that went with those colours.</p><p>Yellow Ink blinks.</p><p>And rethinks his thoughts: Papa just put him to the floor with his <em>brothers</em>.</p><p>Papa calls, asking what they wanted for lunch.</p><p>All answered with pasta... apart from Yellow Ink.</p><p>He felt their stares on him now.</p><p> </p><p>Shaking his skull Yellow Ink answers pasta too, not understanding the delay.</p><p>Then they all settle on the sofa. And Yellow Ink goes on to inform them of the day's events. Red Ink had been right when he claimed that Error needed to be looked after.</p><p>The others then sent Yellow Ink memories of their day- and how they had felt the familiar feeling of power being given to them. They had panicked. But halted from attacks as it went as soon as it came, which was followed by a sense of peace.</p><p>Yellow Ink then began then retelling Error's history lesson more in-depth than his slight mention of it. All Inks listen intently because everything their beloved father told them was important, more so when it was about themselves and their kind; skeletons.</p><p> </p><p>Error calls to them. Lunch was ready.</p><p> </p><p>Yellow Ink follows behind. He felt a little sad that not one of his brothers had mentioned his lovely dress. Well. Papa said it looked good on him, so that was all that matter. And Papa also said he was going to teach him how to make dresses on their days out.</p><p>Happily, Yellow Ink hurries after his brothers, not noticing he had lagged behind.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. The Hive Arc: Pink Ink</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>Error noticed that his sons were not happy with the current arrangement- if he takes one out for the day, the other seven rarely would see him during that time.</p><p> </p><p>So he changed it up. Spend a day with one and have four days with everyone, before taking the next out. Time was meaningless to them anyway and did not follow the seven day a thing... or though Dream keeps bringing up that they would be needing to go to school at some point... but that was years away, so he did not think much on that. </p><p>Error would take Red Ink to Warrior Z Tale, to teach Yellow Ink to sew and design dress at a house he bought in Bitty Tale- which is a form of art... still, the others had not picked dress design and dressmaking up- then the others he had taken out for the day, however, none found anything that caught their interest. So Error continued to show them different hobbies for them to try.</p><p> </p><p>Today was their lazy day; meaning they overslept, watched TV or played puzzle games.</p><p> </p><p>Error decided to take them out in the afternoon, to Ink's Garden. Error began showing them his windows- taking them sees the different universes.</p><p>Dream came along and the Inks played seek and hide with him.</p><p>Error plucked Pink Ink out of the Ink stampede that ran passed him- the small skeleton wiggles for a moment and seeing his father, turns and wraps his arms around his neck, and his legs around his middle.</p><p>Error walks over to Ink's coffin- it was raised off the ground with white stone so that the 'sleeping' Ink came just above his hips. On reaching them, he spins around and rests his back against the glass and slides downwards, so his back was now against the stone- while do this, he had unhooked Pink Ink and then settled him on the ground next to him.</p><p> </p><p>"*tomorrow is ya day." Error began with a smile, "when looking through the windows. did ya see anything that caught ya eye?"</p><p>Pink Ink stares blankly at him for a moment- Error keeps his gentle smile on his jaws while his waits- Red Ink and Yellow Ink had started talking more and more, so he knew once the others find something, they too would begin to opening up.</p><p>Pink Ink smiles, and cuddles against his father's side. He calls to his other selves. And frowns when no reply comes from two.</p><p> </p><p>Then it came.</p><p> </p><p>The two told him to do whatever he wanted.</p><p> </p><p>"*Papa. Pink Ink did see like ..." Pink Ink began, he suddenly glances upwards, towards the glass above, then looks to Error, "er... the swords that came out of fire."</p><p>"*' swords that came out of fire'?" Error questions in confusion- in his mind he began to go through the list of AU he had shown them. The only one that matched Pink Ink's words was, "blacksmith? do ya mean blacksmithing?"</p><p>"*Blacksmithing?" Pink Ink asks tilting his skull, a trait all his sons shared.</p><p>"*metal gets heated to melting point. then formed and hammered into a sword." Error explains loosey, it was not something he was overly familiar with, not know what basic.</p><p>"*...hammer..." Pink Ink hums out in thought, then grins boldly, "Yes! The monster had a hammer!"</p><p> </p><p>Error reaches out and opens the window from the universe called 'Laveidem Tale'. An AU where monsters and humans were still at war- here Chara and Frisk had been born together as twins- it takes place in a period where modern technology did not exist and magic overflowed.</p><p>Error find the blacksmith and frowns- he could not remember visiting this universe, but he must have at one point since he could only open windows to places he has been to.</p><p> </p><p>"*Swords!" Pink Ink says pointing towards the swords on display in wonder, he turns to his to father and nods his skull pleased, "That's it! I want to do that!"</p><p>"*okay. want to see if we can find a blacksmith who will teach ya now?" Error asks with a grin, he raises himself to his feet but keeps himself bent over to help Pink Ink rise.</p><p>"*Yes please!" Pink Ink said loudly, the loudest Error had heard him without his brothers around.</p><p> </p><p>Error turns to look for Dream, he was looking behind a giant flower pot that was beside the door. Error saw three little Inks moves around the other side of the pot and out of view. </p><p> </p><p>"*dream!" Error calls to gain his attention, the golden skeleton turns to face him and the glitchy skeleton waves him over.</p><p>Dream comes jogging over, he smiles once he reaches Error.</p><p>"*Is everything alright?" Dream questions gently, he gazes towards Pink Ink and then to Ink, then quickly looks back to Error.</p><p>"*fine. pink ink found a hobby he wants to try." Error told him, grinning towards the window.</p><p> </p><p>Dream looks in with interest and then frowns deeply.</p><p> </p><p>"*Error. I do not think it safe for a child to do that." Dream said firmly, crossing his arms over his chest while raising a browbone.</p><p>"*what? there're children working there. look. they seem the same age." Error says with a little glitch, he loves Dream, he really does, but the guardian always seemed to questions him when it came to the Inks.</p><p>"*Ink's children are younger in mind." Dream reminds Error, even tapping his own skull to make a point, "even if they were-"</p><p>"*its fine." Error said picking him Pink Ink, the child hugs himself to his father, "and when will they be of 'age' they have not grown since i took them out the tank. sci said he does not know what stage their bodies are. they could look like children for a while. and as for their mind. how fast they learn? answer. very fast... once they willing."</p><p>"*Do you really want to put Ink's child in that dangerous situation?" Dream says with a heavy sigh, "They may learn well, but they still toddlers in mind. They act like it too."</p><p>"*listen. let's just give it a chance. can't be any worst then what red ink is doing." Error said with a grin, "ya approved that. why not this?"</p><p>"*What is Red Ink is doing is good for the body, heart, mind and SOUL." Dream said with an angry pout, "This is playing with fire!"</p><p>"*i am learning alongside him. just like i'm doing with red ink." Error told Dream keeping his grin on his jaws, but now it was glitching as he pushes down his annoyance, "i won't let anything happen to him. or any one of them."</p><p>"Fine. Just do not come to me when this all ends up in tears." Dream finishes with another sigh and placing his hands on his hips.</p><p>"*i gonna go now. just to ask around. only be an hour or two." Error says looking away from his love interest, "so..."</p><p>"*Yes yes. I shall watch over them." Dream said turning around, he leaps back slightly at the sight of seven little Inks standing just behind him, with empty sockets, "Why do you keep doing this!?"</p><p>"*cause they love ya!" Error calls out sweetly to him, opening a portal, "inks! papa taking pink ink out for a while. be good for dream... we don't want a repeat of what happened with that frog."</p><p> </p><p>Dream shivers at the mention of that frog.</p><p> </p><p>"*Yes Papa!" The seven Inks chorus out, grinning boldly towards Dream, a strange glint appearing in their sockets.</p><p> </p><p>Dream took a step away from them.</p><p> </p><p>Nodding Error walks through the portal with Pink Ink, who was giggling wildly. Error did not want to know what he found so amusing, it was no doubt something the other Inks were thinking so.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Error went from blacksmith to blacksmith, looking for someone to teach them- they stopped to do other things along the way. No one was willing and the ERROR could not understand why. Still, he kept trying. Until he uncovers the problem.</p><p>"*...a girl. ya not teaching us because i am female?" Error snaps at the hairy monster with a single eye, he was not sure what kind of monster this was- and if these monsters lived in times past, then they should know about skeletons.</p><p> </p><p>Error really was not in the mood to explain this again...</p><p> </p><p>"Yes. This is a male's work. Females should stick to their males, care for their homes and raise their children." The towering monsters gesture to Pink Ink in Error's arms.</p><p>Error frowns deeply at the blacksmith, '*why does this monster think i'm female? its not the first thing someone would think when looking at me...'</p><p> </p><p>"*Papa?" Pink Ink questions looking between the giant one-eyed monster, then to his father.</p><p>"Papa?" The hairy one-eyed monster said looking very surprised, "You're a male?"</p><p>"*both." The glitchy skeleton growls out, "not that i care. but why do ya think i'm female anyway?"</p><p> </p><p>"Tis because of the dress you're wearing, good sir." The blacksmith said, his speech had changed, sounding a little more respectful than moments ago.</p><p>"*dress?" Error mumbles and glances downwards, sure enough, it was wearing a black dress that fell to his knees.</p><p> </p><p>Blinking, he remembers that morning, Yellow Ink had come in and asked that they all wear dresses. While he had changed the Inks back to their new striped jumpers and shorts, Error could not be bothered to undress, so went as he was.</p><p> </p><p>Error sighs. That answers that.</p><p> </p><p>"I am truly not taking any apprentices." The monster said regaining Error's attention, "But I do know there is a blacksmith in Snowdonia region, looking for some. Do you have a map? I can mark it for you."</p><p>Error reaches into his subspace, or lootbag as it was called here, and pulls out a map he gotten from one of the other towns. Handing it over the giant monster makes a quick mark near the corner and hands it back.</p><p>"*thanks." Error said off-handly, staring at the map. The place seemed to be snowy mountains, with only one way in.</p><p>"It'll take you two months by carriage." The blacksmith went on, "It may take all of your resources to get there. But if you and your daughter really want to learn. It might be your best bet."</p><p>"*skeletons are both. but mostly we go by male. so 'son'." Error corrects the monster, he pulls his map away and turns away- it really did not matter. It just skeletons went by male pronoun mainly, so after thinking his children as 'sons' it was weird to think as 'daughters' unless one came up to him and asked to be called 'daughter'.</p><p>"Ah. Sorry." The monster said not sounding sorry, "I guess since she wearing pink, I thought she was a girl."</p><p> </p><p>Error remembers this from somewhere: Pink for girls, blue for boys.</p><p> </p><p>"*i didn't know that females bought the rights to own a colour." Error comments dryly as he leaves the shop and comes to be in the main street once more.</p><p> </p><p>He looks down at Pink Ink- the child was wearing a black jumper with a pink stripe across, black shorts and his pink bandanna around his skull. He had made all of the Inks these jumpers with all them having their colour in the stripe.</p><p>Striped jumpers were a universal way of telling monsters that this was a child since different monsters grow up at different times. In the time it takes for the Inks to reach adulthood, their little rabbit friend will be a great-grandfather.</p><p>Of course, they had missed the beginning stages, they had acted like babies at first. There was no way telling what stage of their childhood the bodies were in; even Sci was unsure how far along they were- The scientist offered to give them tests every year, in order to know when it was time to start schooling. </p><p> </p><p>With most monsters comparing them to human standards, they normally state- 'they look such and such age' Something even Error picked up on. Because he thought they look about 'ten years old', as in comparing them by the height of a human child.</p><p> </p><p>However, they might not grow to look a 'teenager' for another twenty to thirty years.</p><p> </p><p>Error smiles, he leans down slightly and rubs his cheeks against Pink Ink's cheek. He did not mind them like this- he had a sense of purpose since becoming a father. And his insane moments had greatly dropped.</p><p>While he had been working in the Star Council, he never really felt like he belonged- that they only kept him around because he was strong.</p><p>But with his little ones, he felt like he was needed. Truly needed. And loved.</p><p> </p><p>If Ink was here... would he still have these feelings? Would Ink have had help raise the children with him, or back away as Dream had done? The first year had been a struggle and he had many times felt like abandoning them- but the Inks kept reaching for to him. And he struggled a little longer.</p><p> </p><p>He was happy he did.</p><p> </p><p>Moving away from his son, he smiles at the child. Raising a hand Error opens a portal back to Ink's Garden and hurries through, planning on finding the blacksmith later.</p><p>The glitch halts when he sees the chaos the Inks had done...</p><p> </p><p>Remembering what one of #13's friends had told him, he gazes upwards.</p><p> </p><p>There was different coloured webbing above- made from paint. In the centre was tied up Dream; face to face with him was Cross- who was here for some reason. Both were blushing so much, that their magic had coloured their whole skulls, making them look like a nightlight.</p><p> </p><p>"*the hell?" Error mumbles leaning down to place Pink Ink on the ground.</p><p>"*got that right." Another voice answers from the shadowy part of the building, turning he sees a grumpy looking Nightmare, tied together with Killer on the wall.</p><p> </p><p>Error did the only reasonable thing.</p><p> </p><p>He laughs. Loudly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>The sleeping skeleton was having a great dream.</p><p>Error was with him. Right beside him. He watches as his glitch leans over him... but something was in the way.</p><p> </p><p>Next Error watches many different universes with him. Asking questions. Wanting his answers.</p><p> </p><p>Then Dream was there. Playing with him. He broke up into many parts. Jumping out on his friend any chance he got.</p><p> </p><p>Error was amused.</p><p> </p><p>Then the glitch takes one of him away, settling down together.</p><p>After talking with Dream about things he did not understand, they left for a universe. And had a great day out. They saw different sights of a medieval-looking castle town. They ate foods they would not normally try and saw some street performing.</p><p>During this time, he played with Dream too. Cross came to play. Nightmare was there too. Killer popped in to say hello.</p><p> </p><p>But playing with Error was the best.</p><p> </p><p>Soon it was over and they seemed to be heading back. Then Error rubs his cheek against his... he felt loved.</p><p> </p><p>How could he feel without his paints?</p><p> </p><p>Wait? What's this? Dream and Cross are cuddling together... But Dream was dating Error right? That was how this dream was going... as sad as it was...</p><p>The sleeping skeleton was no longer happy. He summons his parts and felt his best friend needed to be taught a lesson.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>Pink Ink was Pink Ink.</p><p> </p><p>He had learned over the last couple of months. It was hard to think themselves apart.</p><p>And at first, he did not want to be parted from his other parts.</p><p>However, after seeing how two of his other selves were getting on, how happy they felt, he decided to give it a try.</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>Red Ink. Yellow Ink.</p><p>Red Ink was Red Ink.</p><p>Yellow Ink was Yellow Ink.</p><p>He needed to remember this.</p><p> </p><p>Pink Ink goes over to him selves and began to relate everything. Leaving nothing out. Keeping his memories to himself like he was told. His other se- his brothers exchanged their own story.</p><p> </p><p>About Dream and Cross.</p><p> </p><p>Pink Ink burned with angry, remembering Dream promising forever with his father.</p><p>Dream can no longer be trusted with Error... unless Error forgives him, they could too. Until then they had to reveal this however to Error... but wouldn't that hurt Error- their Papa.</p><p> </p><p>Pink Ink bows his skull, he informs this to his other-selves and then to bow their skulls. They were now at a loss as to what to do.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. The Hive Arc: Green Ink</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error really did not understand what was wrong; it was like the Inks was going backward, acting like babes again- they refused to speak properly, they wanted to feed on his SOUL, they did not want to leave the house, just sleep and laze about, crying over nothing and demanding more hugs.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, doing something more enough, one begins to sees patterns.</p><p> </p><p>The Inks acted up when Error during his dates with <em>Dream</em>, or when he was about to go on them- he hated leaving them like this, but if he did manage to get out the door, those babysitting called him back.</p><p>Error glances down at the sleeping Ink in his arms; the child had curled inwards, holding onto his t-shirt tightly. The others Ink slept soundly on the bed and when he places one down, another woke up and swapped places.</p><p> </p><p>Purple Ink's turn.</p><p> </p><p>Error leans over the bed and pulls Orange Ink carefully down besides Pink Ink, then reaches for Purple Ink- sure enough, little sockets slap open and he rattles to his father and makes a small tear appear in his right socket.</p><p> </p><p>The glitch raises up with the new child in his arms and began to sway with him- it was times like these that Error was glad for his super monster strength and his ability to go without sleep- rocking eight children for hours on end, that also inherited super strength beyond normal monster, over and over would have exhausted anyone else; perhaps even to the point of Falling Down or going insane...</p><p>Error felt sorrow over the fact his children were not doing well... he might have to wait before dating Dream again- he had already waited for the war to end, then for the children to reach an age of understanding, before dating Dream fully.</p><p> </p><p>And they <em>had</em> seemed okay with this, if not a little sad.</p><p> </p><p>Error was starting to wonder if he was doing something wrong; maybe they did not want him as their father. It might be the fact that he destroys more universes than he helps come into existence.</p><p>The glitch kept questioning himself, trying to discover the errors he was making with them. He may not be perfect, but it was trying for them.</p><p> </p><p>Error glances downwards at Purple Ink, the child that was nested in his arms was watching him intently.</p><p> </p><p>Error smiles at him then began to sway some more- then he began to spin as he went. Soon the glitch was doing some Frankenstein version of slow ballroom dance. Purple Ink was smiling happily. Closing his sockets, he leans into his father's warmth.</p><p>Soon it came to an end, Purple Ink was asleep.</p><p> </p><p>Error turns to his new extra large king size bed; he had gotten it because more and more the children were not sleeping in their own beds and kept falling out of his bed. It had taken up half the room, but Error did not care. It was not like he spent much time sleeping- he only slept when the Inks begged him too.</p><p>Purple Ink was carefully placed next to Yellow Ink and Error stands on the bed, walking over to the centre and sure enough, Green Ink's opened.</p><p>Green Ink crawls out from between Red Ink and Lilac Ink, heading right for the outstretched arms of his father.</p><p> </p><p>Error lifts his son up, allows the little skull onto his right humerus and his arms go under his body, while his legs push up against his leg arm; a hand grips his t-shirt, much like the others had done.</p><p>The glitchy skeleton starts to sway once more, however, pauses at the sound of the doorbell.</p><p> </p><p>Error shortcuts downstairs, and bending his body downwards slightly, reaching the lock with his left hand- he then stood and opens it fully with his foot... the other side was empty.</p><p> </p><p>"*i think i'm insane..." Error told the thin air with a light sigh.</p><p>"*you think you're insane? error. i don't think you are. i know." A voice came from somewhere in front of him.</p><p>Then Dust skull came from into view, he was grinning like mad- or though, he looked a whole lot better than his former years. The red in his sockets had faded slightly and he wore cleaner clothes... but that last part might be due to his mate.</p><p>"*GREETINGS ERROR MY FRIEND!" Blueberry's happy voice comes, Error leans out the doorway, to see the Swap Sans heading their way.</p><p>"*hi berry." Error greets with a tired smile, he steps back to let the pair through, "i told ya two that you're not needed today. i am not going out."</p><p>"*WE WANTED TO COME! WE HAVE NOT SEEN YOU FOR WEEKS!" Blueberry Sans says with a bright smile, a hint of worry in his tone, he walks into the living room and looks at the messy house, "AND IT SEEMS WE ARE NEEDED! WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU LEFT THE HOUSE?! HAVE YOU EATEN? DRINKING? SLEEPING? ERROR YOU LOOK LIKE DEATH!"</p><p>Error frowns at the last part, his mind not connecting what his friend was saying- he looked nothing like Reaper.</p><p>"*GO SIT WITH DUST WHILE I, THE BESTEST BEST SANS, CLEANS THIS HOUSE AND ALL OF YOUR WORRIES!" Blueberry boldly declares; turning to Dust to points a finger at him, "BEFORE YOU SIT, GO CHECK ON THE INKS! AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE WELL!"</p><p>Dust shortcuts away, seconds later he returns: "*they're all sleeping."</p><p> </p><p>Blueberry nods, then usher Error over to the sofa, shoving a pile of books and other items to the floor he helps the glitch down into the low seat; placing a pillow under his right arm as he did.</p><p> </p><p>"*FRIEND! I COME BEARING GIFTS!" Blueberry announce with joy, he pulls from his subspace a boombox, smaller than the own Fresh owns, "THAT NEW AU YOU HELPED! UNDER_SCORE! WE VISITED IT! AND IT IS WONDERFUL! AFTER CHATTING WITH THE NEW SANS! HE GAVE US SOME MUSIC TO GIVE YOU!"</p><p> </p><p>Blueberry grabs more pillows and piles them besides Error, then sat the boombox upon it- he opens it up and slides in a cassette tape inside- on closing it up, he pushes the large play button and the cassette tape began to turn.</p><p>Error leans back into the seat, gentle moving Green Ink in a better position- he noticed that the Ink was awake and staring at the boombox. Then gazing up at Error's happy expression the small Ink grins boldly and leans into his father's hold, both listening to the interesting sounding music.</p><p>Error remembers this AU- the Voice of that world was having Art Blocks, bad ones. It had taken weeks to track down the source since he could not break them down like Ink- once he had found it, he had thought it was already too late for the AU. It was a half-formed world with no signs of SOULs.</p><p> </p><p>The ERROR was just going to destroy the place when he noticed the Sans, it had a SOUL and was stirring. Error had spent a lot of time working with this AU so decided to give it a chance.</p><p>A couple of weeks later, the AU was a living universe. The monsters here had magic music- their SOULs would make music and they would sing during a battle, controlling their attacks with words. The better the song, the stronger the attacks.</p><p> </p><p>"*hear this music." Error whispers just over words, smiling lovingly at his son, "i helped make that au grow."</p><p> </p><p>Green Ink stares at that loving expression that his father showed towards the music and listens more intently towards it.</p><p> </p><p>"*i wish my voice was like that..." Error admits to the child, not letting Dust hear, who had gotten bored sitting there and was now poking Blueberry who was tidying the room up.</p><p>"*What is wrong with Papa's voice?" Green Ink asks suddenly, forgetting what he was meant to be doing- he watched his father's white left eyelight turn into a little star and he froze; The child had not known Error's eyelight could do that, it seemed only that one was able.</p><p> </p><p>Error was delighted that his son was talking normally again, leaning over he hugs him.</p><p> </p><p>"*heh. my voice is glitches. and sometimes i talk in static." Error explains with a grin, "its terrible. i like songs. but i can't even sing to save my life. its jumps highs to lows at random. and the pitch goes off to the deep end."</p><p>"*Green Ink does not understand." Green Ink said with a deep frown, trying to sit up now, "What does Papa mean by 'save my life'? Is Papa's life need saving? Green Ink can sing for Papa!"</p><p>"*...that's just an expression... a figure of speech...my life is not in danger." Error told him with a loud snort, then turns to stare at the boombox for a moment in thought, "I heard once that music is a healing for the SOUL."</p><p>The small Ink stares at him in silence, only the music sound was heard in the room. Blueberry and Dust had gone elsewhere in the house.</p><p>"*That is what Green Ink wants!" Green Ink suddenly yells, startling Error slightly, "Music! Sing! Green Ink wants to know music! And sing for Papa!"</p><p>Error smiles. His fears of the Inks not wanting him anymore vanished at that moment.</p><p>"*thanks green ink. but remember. ya hobby is something ya want for ya self." Error says gently, but he was sure he already knew the answer.</p><p>"*Green Ink wants music!" Green Ink told Error firmly, a look of determination crosses his features.</p><p>"*okay. okay." Error agrees with a grin, he reaches around and strokes the top of Green Ink's skull- the Ink smiles happily at the attention, "if all's well with ya lot in the morning. then i'll take ya to under_score and we are can learn music... well only ya can learn to sing."</p><p> </p><p>A strange calm came over them, Green Ink settles back down in Error's arms and Error leans back in the sofa, listening to the music with his sockets closed.</p><p>Soon the tape came to a stop and clicks off and silence filled the room- noise in the bathroom could to be heard.</p><p>After a while Error hears someone moving around, opening his sockets he sees Blueberry and Dust taking a seat on the other sofa.</p><p> </p><p>"*How have you been Error?" Blueberry says in a much lower tone than before.</p><p>"*not well." Error admits, seeing no point of lying to his friends, "i was starting to think the inks hated me. and wanted to go to someone else."</p><p>"*Error they love you! They think the world of you!" Blueberry reassures the glitch kindly, "It is properly just teething. Since we can not know when they will enter the next stage in their lives."</p><p> </p><p>Error nods his skull. That might be the case.</p><p> </p><p>When skeletons are 'born' after the brewing period within their 'mother', they come out looking like 'babes'. And will stay like this for many years- then their bones were break and liquid the colour of their SOUL will flow out and cover their bones, once harden, these will be the next set of bones. And they will be 'children' like. The children will then stay like this for over a century before it happens again- entering into 'teenager' stage. And once this stage is completed, their bones will break one last time for their adult bones.</p><p>The thing with the Inks; They did not know how long they had been 'children' stage while in the tanks, if the Red Echo's labs had forced them to grow faster and if this will have any side effects on them. And since their SOUL is artificial, it was not known if they be able to grow any further than this.</p><p> </p><p>Error sighs.</p><p> </p><p>"*how are things going with dream?" Dust suddenly speaks up in a dark voice; Error knew that his friend did not like them trying to date.</p><p>"*its... not." Error admits once again; he starts rambling, his voice glitching heavily with stress and becoming hard to hear with the static taking over in some parts, "he has become less... i don't know what word i'm looking for... but something come between us since we have ended the war. and its not the inks. he loves the inks. he always says so. i still think he wants to adopt them. and if we move forward together. he can be a father too. i don't know why he's keeping his distance now."</p><p>"*Error, did Dream say with words he wanted to be a father?" Blueberry asks carefully, a frown appearing, "He once told me that fatherhood was out of the question for him. What made you think that?"</p><p>"*what? well the inks for one." Error says blinking in surprise, "and..." he trails off, wondering if he should share this with them.</p><p>"*dream loves children. but only when their someone else's." Dust said with a snicker, then frowns deeply, the red in his eyes burning a deeper shade, "he was shocked to learn skeletons have more than one child at a time. and after seeing how... extreme. the inks can be. i think it scared him off."</p><p>"*why didn't he tell me this?" Error questions clearly confused, no longer caring whether or not to share, "if he didn't want to have children. then why did he try and reproduce with me?"</p><p> </p><p>Blueberry and Dust share a look.</p><p> </p><p>"*Error... what do you mean?" Blueberry asks with a tight smile forming on his jaws.</p><p>"*after the inks settled down and we started dated more and more." Error explains with a confused expression marrying his features, "dream tried to take me to his bed. i told him that we shouldn't since i currently raising the inks. and we should wait until they reach adulthood before having children."</p><p> </p><p>Blueberry smile seemed to be frozen on his face.</p><p> </p><p>"*er..." Dust starts and then falls silent, "...so... dream took ya to his bed. to just," the former insane murderer pauses and takes a deep breath, "and tries to reproduce with ya? 'cause he wants children?"</p><p>"*well yeah. what other reason would he want to have intercourse with me?" Error asks with a straight face and no form of mockery, "the only purpose is for reproduction."</p><p> </p><p>Blueberry slowly reaches for a pillow that next to him, then brings it to his skull and held it over his face; Error was startled when a mix of strange sounds came next. The Swap then stops and lowers the pillow to his lap and smiles kindly towards his friend.</p><p>Error stares in worry and Dust were now rolling next to him, holding his ribs, trying to hold in his laughter- the Blueberry then kicks his mate's leg, halting his actions</p><p> </p><p>"Error, what do you want out of a relationship?" Blueberry asks lightly, that strange tight smile on his jaws once more.</p><p>"*i want a mate of course." Error told him, completely disregarding the odd behaviour after all Error was odd as they come, "a companion to share my days with. a complement to complete me. a counterpart who understands me. to stay by my side always. someone who will not fear me. to laugh with. to cry with. to prank the multiverse with..."</p><p>"*and ya think dream is a good match for ya?" Dust questions with a frown, he looks to Blueberry and then back to Error.</p><p>"*during the war we were always by each other's sides. sharing our happy moments and sad moments." Error tries to explain, remember that tender times they shared, "we promised each other a new hope for the future."</p><p>"*ok. i've heard enough." Dust mumbles darkly, "i think ya were just living in the moment. we all thought the end was coming. we needed hope. and ya found something in each other. when that ended. things moved on. he found hope. maybe with nightmare returning to his side and restoring dreamtale. but ya found a different hope. right there."</p><p> </p><p>Error looks to where Dust was pointing, Green Ink.</p><p> </p><p>Error stares down at him softly, a bitter smile appearing now. He had flowers growing on him again. Sci medication was helping and so had the children since they had the strange abilities to remove the ones that grew.</p><p> </p><p>The problem is. Error had fallen in love with a corpse in a glass coffin.</p><p> </p><p>Error knew that he loved Dream, perhaps more like a brother or maybe had always viewed him as such.</p><p> </p><p>"*So. Does Dream complete you, Error?" Blueberry said seriously, playing with the pillow on his lap, "I know you two were close, you worked together for a long time during that war, but I think you are both lonely. Did you know that Dream was in love with Ink?"</p><p> </p><p>That made Error's skull rise, he stares at his blue-eyed friend in shock. Suddenly he crashed.</p><p> </p><p>"*ERROR!? ARE YOU OKAY?" Came Blueberry's voice as soon as he rebooted.</p><p>"*wow. ya ain't crashed like that in a long time!" Dust said aloud, looking at him in surprise.</p><p>"*it seems we have a lot to talk about... me and dream." Error mumbles to himself- it was time to explain the Chrysanthemums growing under his bones; it was not something he was looking forward to.</p><p>"*why don't we leave for now." Dust said taking Blueberry's arm, "blue has made dinner for ya all. will ya be okay?"</p><p>"*yeah. fine. get lost." Error said with a grin, he always wanted to be by himself after a crash; it was true he rarely had them since the Inks came along. However, he knows he will not get a moment to himself now that his friends were leaving.</p><p> </p><p>Error stood up, watching his friends see themselves out the door. He then shortcutted back to his bedroom and looked around-Blueberry had been clearing in here too.</p><p>A little hand touches his cheek, looking down he sees Green Ink staring at him. Error smiles and kisses his hand gently. Then walking over to his bed, he places his son down with his brothers. The settles in the centre of the bed where there was a space.</p><p> </p><p>Ten minutes later, something happened.</p><p> </p><p>One by one the Inks began to crawl over to him. Sitting up he puts them back into their places and lays down again, closing his eye sockets. He opens them to find himself covered from skull to toe of little skeletons...</p><p>Error gave in. Normally they slept beside him, never on top of him; he did not see any harm in this and let them crawl over him once again.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>A dreamer dreamt strange dreams. The skeleton who slept twitched.</p><p><br/>The dreams were no longer making sense. They kept moving from one scene to the other scene. And sometimes the connection would drop in the middle.</p><p>Everything was a confusing mess.</p><p> </p><p>One thing he knew.</p><p> </p><p>Keep Dream apart from Error.</p><p> </p><p>And it was working even without a strong bridge between that rainbow that held them together.</p><p>However, Error was looking sad... tired...</p><p> </p><p>Did it matter?</p><p> </p><p>No.</p><p> </p><p>As long as Error belonged to him...</p><p> </p><p><br/>...when did this happen?</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Not long ago he was willing to give up and let Dream have Error, even if he was disloyal. However the more he woke up, the more he realized that, no, he did not want Error to be with anyone.</p><p> </p><p>A voice.</p><p> </p><p>Someone was talking to him.</p><p> </p><p>Telling him to sleep a little longer. Telling him to give up on Error.</p><p> </p><p>Yeah... it had been that voice which started it all. That was the reason he was so willing to leave Error to Dream. Because he had been too sleepy to think clearly.</p><p>The skeleton tries to wake up but found it hard to.</p><p>Because if he woke up, there would be nothing but the pain from 'That Monster'. If he continues to sleep, there would be no more pain and he could forever dream with Error.</p><p>Another voice. Different from the first, begging for him to awaken.</p><p> </p><p>This voice he knew well. And turns away from it.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly he felt the purple one. Gentle. A gentle rocking.</p><p> </p><p>Seeing through he finds Error moving around a familiar/unfamiliar room with the purple one, seemingly dancing while trying to calm the purple one.</p><p>The sleeping skeleton smiles. A happy emotion washes over him.</p><p> </p><p>The purple one likes dancing with Error.</p><p> </p><p>Then the purple one was being placed alongside the other colour, forming a complete rainbow.</p><p>And now Error was together with the green one.</p><p> </p><p>Music.</p><p> </p><p>Error appears to be so happy with this music.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly he felt the need to sing out loud.</p><p> </p><p>The skeleton that sleeps listens to those around him. He knew these voices- the words were lost to him. Since his hold over the colours were thinning- sight, sound, feeling, scent, taste. These were becoming harder to decern.</p><p> </p><p>The dreamer thinks he hears something. The meanings lost but the feeling remains.</p><p> </p><p>Perhaps it was to time wake up soon... if he can... And find the real Error... he really wanted to be the one who makes that little star appear in his socket, just like the one in his dreams...</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p><br/>Green Ink had listened to the adults.</p><p>Green Ink did not understand everything. However, he understood the most important things.</p><p> </p><p>Music helped Papa. Can save his SOUL!</p><p> </p><p>Dream was trying to get Papa into bed with him for some reason.</p><p>So once he rejoined his brothers, he did what his father told him not to, shared his memories of everything that had happened with his other selves- Pink Ink tells him that once he has begun learning how to sing, to keep those memories to himself; but for now, he was forgiven, since this was an important discovery.</p><p> </p><p>The Rainbow Inks were going to be on their best behaviour while Green Ink went off to learn to sing.</p><p> </p><p>And, so long as they protect their father while he slept, Dream cannot get him.</p><p> </p><p>The little Inks began Project Dream Catcher and crawled upon their father's resting form.</p><p> </p><p>That will teach Dream. The little Inks thought to themselves.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. The Hive Arc: Weeping Skeletons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error gazes over the sea of monster children, all running around laughing and screaming- he turns to look at the mothers and fathers that had been dragged to this place too; some were giving him fearful glances, while a small number with awe and respect.</p><p>The parents really did not need to stay...</p><p> </p><p>The ERROR sighs, turning to the culprit for this 'party'.</p><p> </p><p>Blueberry was happily handing out food from the BBQ he was grilling on, pointing some to the sauces that were over to one side to the one he was serving.</p><p>For some reason the Swap Sans thought Error needed to meet with other monsters, and that the Inks needed to get used to a large number of children as well- why, he did not know, the Rainbow Inks has friends.</p><p>Everyone on the street was their friends; and there were about ten children their 'age' living around them, which they played with now and again.</p><p>Error began walking towards the children, some mothers tensed and really wanted to face them and stick his tongues out at them.</p><p> </p><p>'*that would be childish!' Error thinks, raising his chin higher in the air as he went, 'and i'm anything but childish!'</p><p>And if the universe disagreed, there was a mighty roar of laughter- at first he thought the Voices had come as well; lately, they seemed highly amused about something- as well as, they kept screaming things about Ink.</p><p> </p><p>But that was stupid, Ink was dead.</p><p> </p><p>Dream, Nightmare and Sci confirm there was no consciousness in his body; meaning the artist just did not dust when he died. And Dream visits Ink's coffin every day after lunch for meditation if there were any signs of him being alive, his date mate would have mentioned this important detail.</p><p>Error glitches slightly, shaking his skull to rid himself of these thoughts; he frowns towards the noise, a group of mothers were chatting and laughing loudly. These ones clearly did not care who he was, or they would not be so relaxed. He wondered if he should go over and join them.</p><p> </p><p>"*Papa!!!" The Rainbow Inks calls to him with one voice, he looks over and sees them smiling brightly at him.</p><p> </p><p>The Destroyer gives them a loving smile and makes his way over to them instead; he was so glad that they had overcome whatever made them return to acting like 'babes'.</p><p> </p><p>It was a week later when Blueberry began asking about their creation day. To which Error admits, he had no idea when it was.</p><p>So Blueberry kidnaps Error for the day, bringing them to Sci Sans, who had all the data and records that were taken from the Red Echo's labs. Sci had been reluctant to give them anything, saying that some of the things in the files they would not like to know about.</p><p> </p><p>Blueberry quickly explains the only reason they wanted the files and Sci agreed to only revealing this and little piece about their SOUL.</p><p>Surprisingly they had not been brewed at the same time- or made in their case. Error had thought they had been because it was normally for skeletons to brew this many babes.</p><p> </p><p>It seemed they were made in the same month; with some being a couple of years apart.</p><p> </p><p>Green Ink was the oldest; made on the fourth of June.</p><p> </p><p>His SOUL was the biggest and heaviest of them; the first artificial SOUL to be made in history. It was not in the shape of a traditional SOUL- it was round and there an orb in the centre that held the SOUL's green essence. There was a tube on the top, connecting the back and the front with green.</p><p>It was made out of some sort of metal, or at least that was what Error thought when he saw it.</p><p>Sci explains that the metal was actually formed using Ink's bones.</p><p> </p><p>And suddenly Error understood why the scientist chose to keep this from him- it seemed that Ink's bones really do not dust, and they were almost impossible to break.</p><p>Error had to agree with this, one time when he captured Ink, he needed to <em>sledgehammer</em> to break him- it had taken over a hundred blows for him to break, even then only a small piece came away.</p><p> </p><p>So the Red Echo must have kept breaking off Ink's bones, waited for them to regrow, only to break them again. And from what Sci was telling him, it took a large amount of bone for them to form a single artificial SOUL.</p><p>The second Ink was Orange Ink; made on the thirteenth of June. And was four years after Green Ink.</p><p>This SOUL was slightly smaller than his older brother, and it had the making of looking like a SOUL- but it was too rounded at the top and only a slight double curve at the bottom. The orange orb was bigger too, almost taking up the whole of the space; there were two tubes at the bottom of them.</p><p>The third was Purple Ink, coming in a year later on the seventeenth of June. And Purple Ink's SOUL looked more the shape of a monster's SOUL. With the purple orb shining in the centre- along with a small orb on the top. However, instead of tubes, there were two pipes that lead to nowhere near the bottom.</p><p>The fourth to be made was Red Ink. And he was made a year after Purple Ink; on the twenty-first of June.</p><p>Red Ink's SOUL looked like they went backward with the design; they had the curves at the bottom, and smaller ones at the top; there was a red orb, but there were also two extra orbs, on the bottom either side. This one had no tubes.</p><p>Next came Blue Ink and Lilac Ink together, three years after Red Ink, on the twenty-third of June.</p><p>Their SOULs looked like the same, and there normal monster looking SOULs. There were no orbs, instead looked like a cut out of the metal, the shape of the SAVE STAR and their colours whirls inside. Along the bottom of either side was two circles also looked like the metal had been cut.</p><p>Seventh to be made was Yellow Ink, a year later; twenty-fourth of June.</p><p>Yellow Ink's SOUL looked like a monster's SOUL should be... however, it was that same bone metal with a yellow cut in the centre, this time the shape of a star. There was no tubes or anything else added.</p><p>Lastly, the youngest, Pink Ink. Who came two to be two years after Yellow Ink; the twenty-sixth of June.</p><p>Pink Ink's SOUL was like Yellow Ink's apart from the pink centre- and it was the shape of a human SOUL.</p><p>Their bodies had been forced to grown until they were in their childhood stage.</p><p> </p><p>However, a question appears in Error's mind: how did these artificial SOUL containers get their essence? Where did this come from?</p><p> </p><p>It can not come from Ink since he had neither SOUL container or SOUL essence.</p><p>Sci did not have an answer for Error's question, and the glitch was not about to pull his sons apart to get the answer.</p><p> </p><p>Once Error had learnt the truth about these artificial SOULs, he was enraged- sure he had beaten Ink down many times, but that was in the line of duty. Continually breaking him apart to form these SOULs must have been pure hell for the artist.</p><p>Error went on the warpath- he ended sixty-nine AUs on his waiting list and in doing so, he was discovered; since he had kept the fact he was still ending universes to himself- Dream was disappointed in him.</p><p>The ERROR smiles at his sons as they told him they were playing hide and seek- it seems they liked the party and all the attention they were getting.</p><p> </p><p>'*ink liked all the attention too...' Error thinks sadly, watching them turn and run off towards the large house belonging to Blueberry.</p><p> </p><p>Error glances around quickly, Dream was nowhere to be seen- Nightmare had told him that his brother had been at Ink's coffin for the last couple of days.</p><p>The glitch grips the pocket watch that was hidden under his vest- it was laced with Dream's magic and used to give off warmth, now it was cold. The keeper of dreams had not spoken to him for weeks and he was worried he was going to face a future alone.</p><p> </p><p>"*Papa!" Error jumps in surprise, he did not think they would return so quickly.</p><p>"*yeah. what?" Error asks his sons, he hears a couple of mothers mumbles how rudely he spoke to Ink's sons- this was not rude. Not for Error at least, this was how he normally spoke to those he loved. If they wanted to see how he talked rudely to others, he could if they wanted.</p><p>"*We got bored." The Inks complains together with one voice, "Can we go jump off a bridge?"</p><p>A few mothers gasp.</p><p> </p><p>"*sure go ahead." Error said with a grin, the Inks had somehow learnt how to portal between the universes.</p><p> </p><p>More gasps, much louder.</p><p> </p><p>Once they did Error showed them his favourite past time of jumping off tall things and having a portal open at the bottom to catch him.</p><p> </p><p>They loved it.</p><p> </p><p>Error glances over to the mothers, remembering that word had gotten around that he was destroying again -he never stopped- and was meant to be building relations with others. There was a lot of monsters demanding him leave Star Council HQ and the Inks be given to someone else to raise.</p><p>This issue seemed to have been going on for a while, Error failed to see it- he had given them the excuse they needed.</p><p> </p><p>"*well. perhaps after the party. ya might be keeping ya guest entertained." Error told them, pointing over to some children eyeing them up- he had been trying to keep it all at the back of his mind.</p><p>"*This is Inks's party." The Inks said in unison again, "Shouldn't they be the ones to entertain Inks."</p><p> </p><p>Error was sure they talking as one because they realized it creeped others out; but there were just children, there's no way they would do that-<br/>Error thinks back to the number of pranks they had done after Error had introduced this to them and how much joy they got from it- no, they would do this just to creep others out.</p><p> </p><p>"*well. think up a new game to play." Error told him, he was about to turn away from them, to go hide by that chocolate cake, when they pout and tears began appearing in the corners of their sockets.</p><p>It was one thing Error hated, was a crying monster- more so when it all eight of his sons.</p><p>"*fine." Error snaps, pouting himself now, "i'll think of something..."</p><p> </p><p>The Rainbow Inks cheer and rush close to him, surrounding him, then hugging from all sides.</p><p>Error crosses his arms over his chest, staring off into the distance as he thought of a game his little Inks could play.</p><p> </p><p>'*just wing it.' Error told himself, rubbing his tear marked cheeks.</p><p>Grinning madly he stares down at his sons, seeing his expression the Inks grin boldly and wait for whatever their father had planned.</p><p> </p><p>"*this is a game i like to call. the weeping skeleton." Error told the Inks in a dark voice, "the rules are simple. there are 'humans' and there are 'weeping skeletons'. the humans have to run to a safe zone. the 'weeping skeletons' have to catch the 'humans'. the captured 'humans' are placed in an area-"</p><p>The Inks frown, it sounded like the 'cops and robbers'. But they did not want to stop their father.</p><p>"- and have to sit out to the end of the game." the glitch went on.</p><p> </p><p>The Inks tilt their skulls, perhaps not like that game then. In cops and robbers, the robbers could escape.</p><p> </p><p>"*also the 'weeping skeletons' cannot move-" Error grins move at their confused little faces, "while being looked at. only when the 'humans' look away can the 'weeping skeletons' move. and they can make as much noise as they want. so long as they pause when the 'humans' stare at them. got it?"</p><p>"*Can't the 'humans' just stare at the 'weeping skeletons' throughout the whole game?" Yellow Ink spoke up, voicing what his brothers were thinking.</p><p>"*they can stare as long as they like. but they can't win like that." Error explains with a smirk, "for the 'humans' to win. they have to get to the safe zone. the 'weeping skeletons' can get them catch freely if they're not in the safe zone by the end."</p><p>"*'By then end' meaning there's a time limit Papa?" Purple Ink asks he was already starting to like the sound of this game.</p><p>"*yep. mark off a safe zone a good distance away from the starting point." Error said pointing towards Blueberry's large green area he had in his garden; then points towards the large house, "have the time limit be an hour. that sounds reasonable."</p><p>"*Anything else Papa?" Orange Ink asks grinning along with his brothers.</p><p>"*... er...'humans' can run if there want. so can 'weeping skeletons' just keep in mind that they can't be <em>seen</em> moving." Error said firmly, "if they're seen. they have to go back to the start. and wait for ... i don't know. say. ten minutes before rejoining the game."</p><p>"*If the 'humans' run, won't they get to the safe zone quicker?" Blue Ink questions with a frown, "And what if they run backwards?"</p><p>'*why are they asking so many questions over a dumb game i'm making up on the spot?' Error thinks for a moment, then says,"*that's why the safe zone is far away. this game would be better in a park. but since 'berry has such a big house and garden. it can be played here too... also if they run backwards. they have to be out of sight at one point. or trip and fall. that's the moment to move."</p><p>"*What about shortcuts?" Lilac Ink asks in thought, he looks around at the other children, some were skeletons from Sanses and many already could shortcut.</p><p>"*these are meant to be humans. humans can't shortcut. so the 'humans' in the game can't." Error explains after a moment, they were really hacking at his mind, "it be fair if the 'weeping skeletons' can't. but that's up to you."</p><p> </p><p>The Inks nods in agreement. Error grins at them as they turn and race over to the other children, ready to explain this new game. The glitch then turns and looks towards where the chocolate cake was for waiting for him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He was not surprised the Inks took up the role of the 'weeping skeleton'. And they were doing really well.</p><p> </p><p>Error saw the horrified children running passed a few times - he glances toward the Rainbow Inks, all frozen in different places and in different poses. He was sure they were using their linked minds to know when to move to another place.</p><p>The funny thing was, they had emptied their sockets of their eyelights. It was freaking the other children out completely.</p><p> </p><p>One child had gone with the route of trying to stare at Pink Ink and slowly back away- their eyes had grown tired at one point and they blinked hard; this was all that Pink Ink needed to close to gap until he was right upon the other child, causing them to scream in terror.</p><p>One child had stood behind Yellow Ink, boldly declaring that he did not know when if was looking or not and could not move- this was where the hive mind came into play. Blue Ink was standing behind a corner, not chasing anyone- so when the child kept looking away laughing about how Yellow Ink 'did not know if he was staring at him or not', Yellow Ink inch by inch moved around.</p><p> </p><p>The look of pure shock when he noticed Yellow Ink was facing him made Error's day.</p><p> </p><p>A couple of children worked together, one looking while the others hurried towards the house. Once they were inside the house and out of sight, the Inks chasing them, moved at a surprising speed.</p><p>Only three children made it to the safe zone- dubbed 'freedom'. While all the others had to go to the area set aside for those caught- this has been dubbed 'phantom void'.</p><p>Soon the party began to slow down- and no doubt these children were going to be having nightmares for weeks. It was not what Error had in mind...</p><p>Blueberry told Error he could go home since it was time to prepare for the next part of the party- the slumber party. It was going to be a kids-only thing, so Error and the other mothers and fathers were going to leave them in Blueberry and a few other Sanses' care for the night.</p><p> </p><p>A scream echoes throughout the house.</p><p> </p><p>Error wondered what his sons had done this time since the 'weeping skeleton' game had finished now.</p><p> </p><p>"*ERROR!" Came one of the Sanses's voices, causes the glitch to jump up from the sofa he had not long ago sat down in.</p><p>"*what?!" Error shouts, marching over to the one who shouted to him. It was a Swap Fell Sans.</p><p>"*THE INKS! THEY-" That Swap Fell Sans never got to finish, Error had already shortcutted to the place the children were preparing for the slumber party.</p><p> </p><p>Error stares stunned.</p><p> </p><p>The Rainbow Inks were all laying on the floor, eyes closed and not responding to Blueberry's calls.</p><p> </p><p>Error numbs his own emotions, knowing he would not be able to deal with this- he dully portals a portal to Sci's universe, right into his lab and yells for the adults on hand to carry them through.</p><p>Error was the last to follow through; he hears one mother: "See how the Destroyer does not care about them! No reaction!"</p><p> </p><p>The ERROR gave them a glare before vanishing into the portal and closing it.</p><p> </p><p>On entering Sci's labs he sees his sons all laying on beds, running down their cheeks was tears- these tears kept pouring from their closed sockets, in the colours of their SOUL.</p><p> </p><p>Sci began calling for Error's own SOUL to keep them stable. And without thought, he did so.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. The Hive Arc: Queen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p><br/>Ink was here again.</p><p> </p><p>In a giant birdcage, beyond the gold metal bars were endless white; he could no longer feel anything.</p><p>No love. No hate. No happiness. No sadness. No nothing...</p><p> </p><p>The Ink wonders where the colours went. How long had he been like this?</p><p> </p><p>...where was Error? ...</p><p> </p><p>The SOULless artist frowns, he was not sure why the first thing he thought of was this question... but he had an odd sense of longing to see the glitch, even without emotion.</p><p> </p><p>A golden light came in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>When the light fades, it reveals his friend, Dream.</p><p> </p><p>The sight of his friend brought him no joy.</p><p> </p><p>At the sight of him Dream smiles- he walks over and he throws himself at Ink, hugging him around the shoulders.</p><p>Ink does not return the hug, merely stands there like a mannequin.</p><p>Dream draws back, pushing his teeth against Ink's- seeing Ink did not stop him, he leans forward again, closing his sockets-</p><p> </p><p>A hand covers his jaws, then pushes him away.</p><p> </p><p>Dream sighs and steps back only slightly, he turns and looks around the cage of his making- Ink watches as a bed appear in the centre.</p><p> </p><p>"Please," Dream asks looking down, almost ashamed, "One last time?"</p><p>"*No." Ink said with no tone, staring emotionless at his friend. The last time had been the last time- Dream had to drag him to this empty void and locking him in this place and away from those colours; they talked for hours, or rather the golden skeleton talked while Ink just listened.</p><p> </p><p>In time it turned into something else; Ink really did not care for it. But he did not care enough to say no either. So this strange relationship was formed. However the stronger Ink got, the more in mind he became, the more he realizes he was able to say 'no'.</p><p>Ink knew it was cruel to keep allowing his friend to dream this way, but he could not care. It was clear his friend was trying and failing to help him- but Dream's love for him had taken a different turn, blinding him from moving forward...</p><p> </p><p>And it might be the same for Ink. Something was keeping him trapped in his own mind, but it was not willing to fight it. He could not remember the reason whenever Dream made this cage around them.</p><p> </p><p>"*You are right. Forgive me, friend." Dream told him, steps away completely, giving him a bitter smile.</p><p>The two friends stare at each other for a moment.</p><p>"*The seal. The seal that has been holding you here is keeping weaker," Dream says looks around at the bars, "My cage only can them out for so long. You should be strong enough to fight back. Ink. Have you been trying? Whatever you are dreaming here, whatever they are showing you, is not real! Would you not rather let them become a reality?!"</p><p>Ink watches the emotions passes through his friend's features, then glances around- there was something or someone else here; pass that cage of Dream's- they were watching. It seems they had gotten stronger too.</p><p>"*Why? Ink! Please, you should be strong enough," Dream pleas with him, "I can not keep this up forever- I can help you, but you must let me in. I have little power here, only you should be able to fight this mental battle. Whoever has trapped you inside yourself-"</p><p> </p><p>Dream breaks off whatever he was about to say, he turns towards the bars of the cage.</p><p> </p><p>Ink felt the strange presence grow nearer. The bars of the cage began to melt.</p><p> </p><p>"*It seems that we will finally meet whoever is doing this," Dream growls out, readying his magic. The bars vanish along with the whole cage, leaving them in nothing but white.</p><p> </p><p>Ink watches behind Dream's back, eight forms taking shape.</p><p> </p><p>Eight small skeletons that were the image of himself, all dressed the same but in different colours, all looking ready to kill.</p><p>Dream must have realized by where Ink was staring that there was someone behind him because he suddenly let go and spins around; he gasps at the sight of the smaller Inks and steps back.</p><p> </p><p>"*You? YOU! Why are you here?!" Dream cries out in alarm, then glares, "Wait...No. It has been you this whole time! You are the ones that kept Ink like this! But why?"</p><p> </p><p>Dream looks to Ink quickly and Inks stares at him- there was no reaction to them. Of course, there would not be, he could not feel shocked or surprise by anything in his current state.</p><p>Dream quickly turns back to face the children and finds their sockets empty and they had taken a step forwards them while he had looked away.</p><p> </p><p>"*Ink. Listen to me," Dream said taking his friend's hand and stepping away from the creepy sight, "This is your dream. You can take control of it. Now we know who we are fighting against! They had young, they won't have full control of their magic yet."</p><p><br/>Ink nods his understanding, the scene changes and they were on a dusty surface with a broken planet above- they seemed to be on a moon. The two friends frown, they had never seen this place before.</p><p>Ink looks towards the children, they had moved a little closer.</p><p> </p><p>Dream tugs at Ink's hand and together they start running- the pair hear the sound of little feet chasing them, yet each time they would look, they found the skeletons frozen in place but even closer to them.</p><p> </p><p>"*This is a nightmare." Dream moans out, he looks around, there was nothing but dust on this moon. To make matters worse, he could not feel anything from the Inks.</p><p> </p><p>Ink suddenly spots something in the distance and began to move that way, Dream follows but was watching the children as he went- after a while, he looks ahead and then back at the Inks- nearer but frozen in place.</p><p>Ink halts and Dream comes to a stop to see the reason why.</p><p> </p><p>Ink overlooked a field of many different flowers, all in full bloom- the bright colours looked amazing against the black backdrop of the starry sky.</p><p> </p><p>It was a lovely display.</p><p> </p><p>Something lightly touches Dream's arm; he lets out a fearful cry. Turning he sees they had been surrounded on all sides.</p><p>Ink looks from one to the other, with Dream doing the same. But as soon as they took their sockets off one, the rest inched nearer.</p><p> </p><p>"*They only move when we're not looking." Ink said as he walks off to one side, so all were in view and walked backwards- Dream follows his lead, "I can't shortcut."</p><p>"*I have been trying too," Dream replies softly, looking sadly at the children, "Little Inks. Do you not want to be with your mother? Like with Error? Wait... are you doing this because of Error?"</p><p> </p><p>Ink pauses at that name.</p><p> </p><p>"*Error?" Ink questions looking at his friend and then at the mini versions of him.</p><p>"*Do you remember who Error is?" Dream asks gently, he knew that his friend had a soft spot for the glitch- Ink nods his skull, "for some reason, Error took up arms against the Red Echo. After he found these children, he adopted them. Ink. These are your clones, they were made to be super-soldiers."</p><p> </p><p>Ink studies the eight children, trying to recall if he knew this or not- but no. There was nothing in his mind.</p><p> </p><p>"*Error adopted my clones? I would have thought he would have killed them on sight." Ink said dully, tilting his skull to one side; something about that story... made him 'feel' strange.</p><p> </p><p>Dream sighs heavily, closing his sockets when he did- on opening them he gasps when he sees them right up close to him. He quickly glances sideways to see Ink, the artist had his back to them and was staring at the flowers.</p><p>"*... could it be... This is Error doing all along?!" Dream cries out alarmed at the thought, "I can not believe it! I thought he changed! I thought we..."</p><p> </p><p>Ink frowns, Dream had mumbled something else- however that could not be right, he must have heard wrong. Because Dream had been with him right? Not Error... But it was not the thought of Dream being with Error and not him, make his magic stir, it was the through of Error being with Dream and not him.</p><p> </p><p>"*Ink. I think they are dangerous. If Error really is controlling them. Oh, Codes! He could have been working for the Red Echo all along! They have been keeping you here all this time and waiting for a comeback!" Dream says in a hurried voice, he then turns to glare hard at the little ones, "Hear me small ones. Free Ink at once!" silence, "Should you come any closer than I will be forced to defend myself and my friend. Then I shall deal with Error."</p><p> </p><p>Ink gazes sideways, he could not see his friend fighting a group of children. The artist saw that his little selves did not seem happy at his friend's words: 'deal with Error'.</p><p>And Ink thought they looked ready to kill before, only he knew they were going to kill. Their features completely transformed into a sharp murderous smile, black ink almost bubbling within the depths of their open mouths and empty sockets.</p><p> </p><p>Dream leaps forward, staff in hand, he strikes at the first one he came to- the one dressed in blue. And was stunned when blue one did not move and took the hit full on. A large creak appears on his frontal bone but he did not fall down, he still in place.</p><p>Even when he had been attacked, the others did not move from their places- they kept staring, frozen in time.</p><p> </p><p>Ink drops to the ground, holding the front of his skull- Dream spins around and sees a grey mark appear where he had hit the smaller Ink.</p><p> </p><p>"*No." Dream breathes out, seeing his mistake, "Oh Ink! I am so sorry! I had no idea!"</p><p> </p><p>A hand takes his hand, he slowly turns and sees his second mistake- he had taken his orbits off the children.</p><p>From their sockets tears of their own SOUL's colour, freely fell, water falling down their cheekbones and dripping off their jaws.</p><p> </p><p>They opened their jaws wide and let out a SOUL piercing screech.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly Dream was taken with powerful attacks from all sides.</p><p> </p><p>Ink lifts his skull- his friend was gone, throw from his mind, and the small Inks were standing there staring at him.</p><p> </p><p>"*Who are you?" Ink asks the strange little skeletons.</p><p>"*Inks are Ink." They answered together with one voice, "Ink is Queen."</p><p>"*You trapped me?" Ink questions, seeing that they would answer.</p><p>"*Yes. To protect the Queen." The Inks say in one voice, "Queen. What does Queen want?"</p><p>"*I want to forever dream with Error." Ink told them, he could see images in his mind. Of a time where he and Error played pranks on others, ate nice cream together, painted together, sewed dresses together, watched the stars together.</p><p> </p><p>Always together.</p><p> </p><p>That was what he wanted. And he knew this could never become real- he would rather lie to himself, trick himself, play pretend with himself.</p><p> </p><p>Ink looks to his smaller selves, their cheeks were now stained with their colours- almost making it look like they were Error's offspring too.</p><p> </p><p>Ink smiles. And he fell into a deep sleep once more.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>Or perhaps not as deeply as before.</p><p>Ink's orbits opened on their own, he stares up at a dark unfamiliar ceiling and yet he knew he had seen it many times.<br/>It was better than the stillness of the white void that went on forever.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly there was a movement- how Ink loves movement. The movement was on a figure. And colour. Glancing through the dimly lit room he could make out red, black, blue, yellow, white. All moving.</p><p>The lights flicker on and Ink found himself looking up at Error.</p><p> </p><p>And Error was happily smiling down.</p><p> </p><p>Smiling for him.</p><p> </p><p>Ink felt himself smile- he realized that he was not the one controlling his body.</p><p> </p><p>He was then sat up without having moved and soon he was curling himself in Error's arms, gripping onto his t-shirt.</p><p> </p><p>Error hugs him back.</p><p> </p><p>Error was hugging him.</p><p> </p><p>The artist felt the strong bones carefully wrapping around him.</p><p> </p><p>He could hear the static of Error's SOUL.</p><p> </p><p>Taste the coldest of Error's protective magic that was in the air.</p><p> </p><p>And oddly enough, could smell a strong aroma of many flowers.</p><p> </p><p>And lastly, the colours of the glitch's tacky black looking t-shirt- it had bright bold yellow words written on the front: 'You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.'</p><p>Ink was looking through someone else's sockets. He was feeling someone else's emotions; he was seeing, hearing, feeling smelling and tasting through someone else...</p><p>For the longest time Ink had wanted to be with Error... in what way, he never really cared- was this what he wanted?</p><p> </p><p>"*i am so glad you're awake." Came Error's glitchy voice- a voice like no other in the multiverse.</p><p>Ink blinks from within the depths. Error was happy Ink was awake.</p><p>"*Papa!" A happy voice came out of his jaws.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly there were others around Error, all smiling at him, a knowing smile. They all cuddled into the glitch's side, letting the cold SOUL's magic wash over them too.</p><p> </p><p>Was this really how he wanted to be with Error?</p><p> </p><p>No.</p><p> </p><p>Ink wanted to stand by Error's side, as his equal...</p><p> </p><p>But perhaps he could stay like this, just a little while longer and watch- the cuddles were not so bad.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. The Hive Arc: Orange Ink</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="userstuff module">
  <p>Error grins, Orange Ink had taken a big interest in his flowers. And it had become his hobby day, he wanted to learn how to plant and care of flowers, along with learning their names and meanings.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Of course, the flowers had grown off of him were different- his sons took it in turns to pluck the flowers off his bones. It reminded him of how monkeys would pick fleas and ticks off each other's back- almost like a bonding experience. And then they would all go to his moon, where they all helped plant them.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>It had been three weeks since the Inks fell down- he was pleased that they were only in the labs for a couple of days, or though, it took Blue Ink longer to wake up for some reason. But there were no lasting ill effects, of course, Sci did not know the cause for it.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Error leans back in his garden chair, nearby Orange Ink was planting some roses in the back garden of their home in Star Council HQ. They were normal roses.</p>
  <p>The other Inks were at Blueberry's home AU; they were only staying half a day, later they all would visit Ink's garden. Orange Ink wanted to study some of the flowers around that area and no doubt chat about his day to his brothers.</p>
  <p>Error turns his gaze to Dream; his date mate had forgiven him and returned with open arms. Much to his delight, they had started dating once more.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Only... something had changed between them again, and Error was sure it was not just because of the universes he destroyed- he kept seeing Dream watching him with an odd expression on his features.</p>
  <p>It was not only him who he was watching, but Dream had also suddenly taken a much bigger interest in the Rainbow Inks. Taking days out of his busy schedule not only to spend time with Error but also the Inks.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>And the way the Rainbow Inks were acting towards Dream was strange too.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Then there was Cross, who kept magically appearing during their dates or when Error was out with the Inks. He even came over to hang when Killer and Dust was spending some time with him- what was weird, Cross had never liked Error- more like hated him. The Sans would go out of his way to avoid Error normally.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Nightmare's behaviour was odd too. He would phone at random times during the night, asking if the Inks were having any dreams or nightmares. Error kept telling him that there was no way for him to know.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Nightmare's smile seemed a little tight whenever they met up, he too watched the Inks. Asking questions about their everyday life.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>- it was all like everyone was on stage acting while he was in the stands watching their performance, what happened once they exited stage left, he did not know.</p>
  <p>Then again, it could be Error's paranoia playing up.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Suddenly a thought crept up into his skull.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>His SOUL ached and his body glitched.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>"*Error, are you okay?" Dream asks quickly, noticing his glitching form and his emotions darkening.</p>
  <p>"*fine." Error snaps out, glaring ahead of him rather than look at Dream. The keeper of dreams would know that he was not fine- yet he did not push the issue.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Error had worked it out. Did they really think he would not know? Did they think he was stupid?</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>They were trying to find new homes for the Inks!</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>"*Papa?" Came Orange Ink's voice, he turns and sees his son staring at him in worry, "Is Papa okay?"</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Error forces himself to smile, he leans over and stokes the Ink's skull.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>"*i'm fine." Error told him through gritted teeth; Dream, Nightmare and everyone, was trying to take his sons away from him, '*did the inks know?' his insane mind began to work overtime, 'is that why they're acting differently? are they happy to be taken? to find a new home? a new father? am i that much of a-'</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Orange Ink moves further toward Error, bringing his hand up and stoking Error's skull- being the right height now that the glitch was seated.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>"Papa will be fine. Orange Ink is with Papa!" Orange Ink declares smiling brightly, "Orange Ink will not let anything happen to Papa!"</p>
  <p>"*thanks." Error said with a true smile, he then reaches up to take the child's hand off his skull, and held it in front of him, "did ya really just rub paint all over my skull?"</p>
  <p>"*Orange Ink is making Papa colourful!" Orange Ink explains with a bold grin.</p>
  <p>Error threw his skull back and a burst of strange laughter came out, turning to Dream, glitching like mad, he asks bluntly, "*do i look colourful?"</p>
  <p>"*Y-yes. Very colourful!" Dream says quickly, there was sweat forming down his brow. Something he had not done since they first met.</p>
  <p>'*talk to him!' Error's mind hisses at him, 'take to him now!' Turning to his son he smiles, "*orange ink. can ya go inside and wash up by ya self? i need to talk with dream for a minute."</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>The child glances towards the golden skeleton, who frowns lightly back. Error growls, breaking the staring contest up.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>"*Of course Papa! Orange Ink will be fine doing that!" Orange Ink answers, he shortcuts away in a puddle of ink. Taking Dream by surprise.</p>
  <p>"*Since when do they use ink in that manner?" Dream asks Error once the ink puddle vanishes.</p>
  <p>"*not long after they awoke from falling down." Error told him grimly, he turns in his seat so that he was facing his date mate fully. Dream turns slightly as well.</p>
  <p>"*Error is there something you want to say to me?" Dream says, his voice suddenly harden as if preparing for the bad news.</p>
  <p>"*are ya gonna take the bratlings away from me?" Error asks sharply, seeing no point in dancing around the topic.</p>
  <p>"*What?" Dream said with narrowed sockets, he did look a little confused at the same time.</p>
  <p>"*haven't ya been acting strange lately. 'cause ya looking for another father to take the inks." Error questions, but bothering to hide how grumpy and upset he was since Dream could feel his emotions anyway, "that's why everyone keeps coming around to help care for them so suddenly..."</p>
  <p>"*Error that's no-" Dream began, but whatever he was about to say was cut off by Orange Ink.</p>
  <p>"NO!" Orange Ink screams at the keeper, standing in front of Dream, "Inks won't leave Papa! Dream can't make Inks go!" Then spinning around, he leaps into Error's arms, demanding, "Papa! Papa won't let them take Inks! Right!"</p>
  <p>"*...only if that's what ya want..." Error told Orange Ink, hugging him close, "you and ya brothers have been acting odd too. so i thought ya wanted to leave."</p>
  <p>"*Never! Inks want to be with Papa!" Orange Ink told him, burying his face into Error's ribs, a loud sob, "Inks doesn't want to leave! Inks only wants Papa as their Papa! And Inks doesn't want Papa to be Dream's date mate!"</p>
  <p>"*...okay...so that's what this is about?" Error questions, glancing at Dream then down at the little skull, "me and dream need to talk. go into the house and clean up."</p>
  <p>"*Okay!" Orange Ink cries out joyfully, all traces of sadness vanishing, then disappearing in a puddle of ink.</p>
  <p>"*i thought he left." Error mumbles in a shocked voice, "i didn't feel his magic at all!"</p>
  <p>"*I did not feel his emotions either." Dream told him, keeping his voice low as he gazes around, thinking the little Ink would pop out once more, "until he appeared. just where was he listening to us from? has he bugged the area?"</p>
  <p>"*'bugged the are'?" Error repeats and then laughs loudly, once he finishes he looks at Dream's serious expression, "dream. the inks are children. there's no way they'd think of something like that!"</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Dream studies his for a moment, then sighs deeply, looking away from the glitch.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>"*You are ever really good at controlling how ya feel," Dream states staring off into the garden, "or you truly think that."</p>
  <p>"*'course. ya should know me. we fought alongside each other for a long time." Error told him with a small smile, he leans over and takes Dream by the hand, "ya know i can't control my emotions. no matter how hard i try. what did ya say about me before? i'm like a firework. i shot up into the air with an array of so many emotions. that ya can't look away from the deadly ya beautiful display."</p>
  <p>"*Yes." Dream breathes out, looking at Error in surprise, "I remember. I said that once..." He reaches up with his free hand and held his frontal bone, "That was so long ago. Error. I am sorry. Forgive me."</p>
  <p>"*for what?" Error asks with a deep frown, "have ya done something that needs forgiving?"</p>
  <p>"*Do you remember when I tried to explain to you, that I had certain needs?" Dream says grimly, he pulls his hand away from Error and leans back, "I found those somewhere else. I am so sorry."</p>
  <p>"*'certain needs'?" Error repeats for the second time that day, "what certain need? do ya- oh."</p>
  <p>The glitches around him suddenly intensify, ERROR signs appear more and more in his sockets. A wave of sadness washes over him.</p>
  <p>"*ya told me ya there fine. that ya didn't need to be with another." Error said in a sorrowful manner, which was quickly being replaced by angry. Even though he could not give this, it did not mean he wanted his mate to go off with someone. Blueberry had given him a few lectures on the subject other than the scientific facts he knew, but he really did not see the appeal on the matter.</p>
  <p>"*Forgive me." Dream said again, lowering his skull, "My actions are shameful. I do not know why I did this thing. I thought that I would not need this. But how my life is, I thought I never needed it."</p>
  <p>"*...i don't know what to say." Error admits to him, feeling his anger fading as fast as it came- he had learnt a while back that anger did not solve things with his mate. Dream raising his skull and stares at him.</p>
  <p>"*Perhaps we should wait." Dream said to Error after a moment of silence, "Like what we did before the end war, before we got together, with the Ink's sons. I need to think things through..."</p>
  <p>"*...ya mean wait until they're older?" Error asks softly, watching his date mate carefully.</p>
  <p>"*Yes. This is not goodbye Error." Dream told him gently, "Its...well..."</p>
  <p>"*'berry told me ya was in love with ink. is that what it is?" Error questions, gaining a shocked gasp from Dream, "ink has been dead for a long time. could it be? ya hoping he'll wake up? sci said his bones... just won't dust. that's why he's like that. he's still dead."</p>
  <p>"*Yes. I feel like you believe that..." Dream whispers staring at him in wonder, then frowns deeply, "Error what do ya think of Red Echo?"</p>
  <p>"*what?" Error suddenly roars and stands up, hate and rage began boiling in his SOUL, "are they back?! i'll kill them all!"</p>
  <p>"*No no. I just wanted to feel your emotions on the matter." Dream said quickly raising his hands almost in surrender.</p>
  <p>Error let himself calm before he settles down on his seat again, taking Orange Ink who was standing beside him, into his lap and hugging his son close.</p>
  <p>"*if they ever appear again. i will kill them." Error hisses darkly, holding onto the child for dear life, remembering how he found the Inks, how he found Ink, "i will defend my sons to my dust."</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Dream nods at his words.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>"*So, when the Inks are older, we will try again," Dream said closing his sockets, trying to remember how he fell in love with this creature, "...can you promise me you shall not destroy another AU? OR am I asking for too much?"</p>
  <p>"*ya asking to much." Error told him flatly, he could feel sockets on him and he reaches to pat Orange Ink's skull, "i just telling ya that its needed. my job."</p>
  <p>"*Error...why, why not take a break from your 'job' and see what happens?" Dream asks slyly, he watches Error play with Orange Ink's bandanna, that was around his neck today..., "...er... Error, Orange Ink is back."</p>
  <p>Error blinks, then stares at his son, who gives him a cheekily smile before jumping off and leaving in a puddle of ink. The two adults merely stare in the place he once was.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>"*how long was he here for?" Error questions more to himself than Dream, the glitch turn to look towards the house, he sees Orange Ink at the window, watching them from there.</p>
  <p>"*I must go. My brother needs me today." Dream said raising to his feet, he gazes at Error sadly, Error stands as well watching as the golden skeletons open a portal of light, "I do love you... I just do not feel that rush anymore. And I can feel you hold love towards me... your love too, is not the same as it once was."</p>
  <p>"*we should talk more. when none of the inks are around." Error says quickly, taking the other's hand, "there's still things i want to say."</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Dream nods, tugging his hand out of Error's, he leaves.</p>
  <p>With a sigh, he turns to stare at Orange Ink orbit to orbit- Error steps back in shock. Looking down he noticed that the child was standing on the chair. The young skeleton had no expression on, making him look like his 'mother' when out of paint.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>"*Papa, if 'Mother' came back, who would Papa choose? Would Papa take 'Mother' as a mate?" Orange Ink asks without any emotion, staring at his father, almost daring him to say something.</p>
  <p>"*...an out coded sans like ink can't return." Error states just as emotionless, "there's no reset for our kind. also why would ink want to be with me? he only ever wanted me as a friend. not a companion."</p>
  <p>"*Yeah Papa. But does Papa want 'Mother' as a companion?" Orange Ink questions, his sockets going dark, his stare seemed to be looking through him.</p>
  <p>"*orange ink... that's not something that needs to be worried about." Error said with a heavy sigh, he glances towards the sky above, wondering how his life changed so much, how he changed so much, "and even if ink somehow raises. i have already promised myself to dream. the only way i'll end it. is if dream does. so i most likely take ink only as a friend."</p>
  <p>"*Oh okay." Orange Ink simply says, returning to normal with a bold grin, he jumps off the chair and gives Error a big hug, "can we finish our day now?"</p>
  <p>"*yeah. we are gonna read that chapter on photosynthesis." Error answers, taking his son's hand and opening a portal to their living room because he could not be bothered to walk.</p>
  <p>"*Yay!" Orange Ink cheers, gripping his father's hand tightly as they went, not wanting to let go.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p><br/>XD ~ DX</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Ink watches through the sockets of Orange Ink, over the weeks he had gotten used to jumping from one to the other - however, his memory was worse than ever before and kept forgetting things.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>He wondered if he could remember any of this once he woke up completely. This whole thing felt like a waking dream.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Ink was not happy with Dream's actions- and was not happy to learn his friend had jumped into his dream and started dating Error...</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>One thing he was pleased about.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Dream could no longer reach him.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>The clones were keeping him at bay now that they seem to be aware of him, they had completely shut him out - he remembers a clone. One. When had eight been made?</p>
  <p><br/>From the time he was thinking clearer, Ink had learned that they used to think as one group. When they thought as one, they could not keep Dream away. It was only when they began thinking apart they could overpower him- the power eight different minds fought differently.</p>
  <p>However, when thinking apart, the clones lose their grip on Ink's mind- it was only when they thought as one unit, did they have complete power over Ink's dreams- but even this was starting to fade even with them thinking together since Ink is aware of this dream now.</p>
  <p>Ink grins.</p>
  <p>At least he confirms that he was Dream-Error's friend. That would be enough for now for when he steps into this dream fully.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>...this was what he wanted, so why did he ache inside. Ink frowns, he knew the answer. He wanted to see Error. The real Error. Talk to him with his own words, with his own mouth. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>But that was just a dream too...</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>XD ~ DX</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p><br/>Orange Ink was insanely mad towards Dream.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Not only were they taking their father's attention away from them, but they were haunting Queen's thoughts.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>To make matters worse, the golden moron was thinking of taking them away from Error!</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Nope. No happening! Even if they had to wake up Queen, they were not leaving their father. Error would be lost without them!</p>
  <p>He was so glad that Queen had begun teaching them how to use their paints. The paint he had wiped onto his father's skull was linked to the paint that he kept in his hands, acting as a one-way radio.</p>
  <p>Orange Ink blinks, he was coming up to Queen's lifeless form in the glass. Always in glass. Even back then in the labs.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Gripping onto his father's hand, then stepped closer and he sees at the adult that looked so much like him. And realized, he was going to grow up with this appearance.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Turning he sees his brothers walking through a portal, they hurry over with smiles on their jaws, but once they notice Orange Ink's grim thoughts, their smiles drop slightly- they rush to greet Error, getting hugs before taking Orange Ink to one side.</p>
  <p>And then they discover this terrifying news.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Could the adults take their father away? Would father let them?</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Error might if he thought it was in their best interest.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>The Rainbow Inks grins. All they had to so, was to make sure that it was no in their best interest.</p>
</div><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. The Hive Arc: Purple Ink</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error sat on the sides lines of a grand hall; it was the last thing at night and the place was almost empty, save for himself, Purple Ink, and a strange skeleton in a white robe and red scarf and the dance instructor.</p><p> </p><p>Dance Sans went from Purple Ink to the strange skeleton during the last couple of hours, whom name he just discovered was Goth thanks to yet another strange skeleton who just entered.</p><p>Error raises a browbone at the newcomer, and he could now understand why Dance had been acting so oddly while teaching the stra- this Goth character.</p><p> </p><p>The youth was clearly Reaper Sans's son, by how he acted. Which sort of shocked Error- Error had been active in the Multiverse for some two or three millennia, but he did not know Reaper had a child... wait how is that possible?</p><p> </p><p>Reaper cannot touch anyone, save for family members or certain other grim reapers. And being an Elder Reaper, even his touch for kill off even the younger reapers.</p><p>But it was not like he knew Reaper that well; The two, Error and Reaper were like two ships passing in the night, aware of the other only because of radar but never seeing them.</p><p> </p><p>There were only a few times they had really met face to face...</p><p> </p><p>The first one time Error could remember being in Reaper's presence, was when Reaper was <em>very</em> angry towards him for destroying a universe called 'Aftertale'. Which was one of the first places he had destroyed when starting his new career and still rather unknown as a 'destroyer'. After that, the ERROR avoided DEATH like the plague.</p><p>The second time they met, Error was angry towards Reaper. Reaper had somehow managed to collect Fresh's small young SOUL that lived in his eye socket and was trying to bottle it ready for the afterlife. It was only because death was so shocked at seeing him alive that he managed to get a hold of Fresh's SOUL.</p><p>Reaper had killed Error the first time, but the glitch could not die the normal ways. It was after that Error gave his code to save Fresh's SOUL...</p><p> </p><p>Error frowns deeply, he could not remember why he had liked Fresh so much back then, enough to fight death, and is so freaked out by him now. If Fresh came within a foot of him, he could back away or even run away.</p><p>Still, Fresh acts like an uncle towards his sons and he were coming to like the virus- but Error was angry at Fresh for not joining in the war against the Red Echo, so he rarely saw him.</p><p> </p><p>"*Papa! Are you watching?!" Purple Ink calls out, glancing towards his son he sees the little Ink is pouting at him. Error smiles, then dropping his knitting, waves.</p><p>While he was learning alongside the other Inks and their chosen hobby. With Purple Ink, he really needed someone the same height as him- however, they had play dance together at the beginning of the lesson. Dance was showing both of them the basic, but it Error learned something about himself- he already knew the basics.</p><p>Purple Ink turns back to Dance Sans, grinning happily.</p><p> </p><p>"*hiya papa." Reaper greet with a slow smirk, the eyelights were gutted out, showing his dislike of the glitch being there.</p><p>"*ugh. what do <em>you</em> want?" Error snaps picking up his needles, making sure he had not dropped a stitch, he starts knitting again. A sure way of saying: 'i don't want to fight you.'</p><p>"*nothing. i hear ya adopted some kids." Reaper said, he gazes over to Purple Ink, "would be a shame if something happened to one."</p><p>"*did ya just threaten a child? not this any child. my bratling?!" Error asks enraged; ERROR signs began filling his sockets as he stares at Reaper's smug expression. Error removes his glasses and pushes his knitting away, a sure way of saying: 'i will kill you and then dance on your dust.'</p><p>"*Father please." Goth said with a heavy sigh, then turns to Error, "... Mr Error was it? Please forgive my Father, he can hold a grudge for a long time."</p><p>"*funny that. so can i!" Error replies to that, standing up and stalking over to the black-dressed skeleton.</p><p>"*whoa whoa whoa whoa. whoa." Dance Sans said quickly, standing far off from the two powerhouses of the Multiverse, "not here. ... but if ya must! then how about a dance off?"</p><p>"*this dead moron won't know how to dance! who would want to dance with death?" Error said with a loud laugh, he gazes over to Purple Ink, who was dancing in front of the mirror.</p><p>"*bet i'm more lively then you on the dance floor!" Reaper smirks at him placing his hands on his hips, "i used to tango with my first mate." After saying this, he seemed to lost will to fight.</p><p>"*Father, perhaps we should just go. I have finished my lessons for tonight." Goth said sweetly, he then lifts his hand up, "forgive me for not shaking your hand, but you settle for an air handshake?"</p><p>"*air handshake? what's-" Error snorts loudly, he sees Reaper out of the corner of his socket holding up his scythe a deadly smile on his jaws, "whatever."</p><p> </p><p>Knowing he was going to get an angry death on his hands, Error went over, bringing his own hand up- he did not know what an air handshake was, but he knew what a normal one is- so he grabs hold of the younger skeleton's hand and shook hands with him.</p><p>For some reason, Goth looked like he was about to faint, then shocked... and then delighted? And a few other emotions in between.</p><p> </p><p>"*You are not dead?!" Goth told him happily.</p><p>"*kind of stating the obvious bratling." Error said taking his hand away but found he could not, glancing down he notices Goth's grip getting tighter, "ya want to fight?"</p><p>"*nah. he's just happy." Reaper told Error, coming up behind him and poking him on the shoulder.</p><p>"*do <em>you</em> want to fight?" Error snaps pushing away the hand that kept poking him; he must have grown used to death so much over the years, that his body did not recognize it anymore; Error died hard and with his large HP and mana pool, he had gained over the many years, it was a little wonder.</p><p>Goth, at last, let's go of his hand, staring at him in wonder. Reaper kept poking him.</p><p> </p><p>"*just keep poking me. and we'll see if death can really die!" Error snaps again, this time more forcefully.</p><p>"*please don't fight here." Dance begs them with a loud moan, "dance off? please?"</p><p>"*ok. i'm leading." Reaper told Error, stalking around him and grabbing his middle. All rage or hate toward each other in the second.</p><p> </p><p>Error growls out but was too shocked to realize that he was not glitching badly towards Reaper, to really push the other skeleton off. Soon an odd dance mix between tango- Reaper's choice dance, and ballroom- Error's choice dance, was created from the pair, both fought over who took the lead the whole time.</p><p> </p><p>Together they spun around and around each other, one glaring the other smirking.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly Error felt like he had done this before...</p><p> </p><p>"*say. why do ya have a grudge against me?" Error asks and he was suddenly dripped, on being raised up the glitch found Reaper's foot and then spun him away from himself and then back.</p><p>"*ya killed my first love." Reaper told him darkly, "aftertale was the home to geno. goth's mother."</p><p>"*really? someone like ya can love anyone?" Error wonders out loud, it was not meant as an insult.</p><p>Reaper turns him quickly, pushing his cheek on Error's and lead him down a path- it was surprising how in time they both were with each other.</p><p> </p><p>"*yeah. never thought i'd get over him. but another aftertale rose from the ashes." Reaper said when he was spun under Error's arm again and again, "this new geno is a little different from the first. i think because i went there too early."</p><p>"*so the first ya replaced with a new. charming. ain't ya." Error said with a snort, they sort of encircled each other, before deciding to dance once again without words.</p><p>"*do ya have any idea what's it like to lose ya mate?" Reaper asks in an emotionless tone, "at first all i could him of was changing him to be like my first geno. then i realize that different memories create different personalities. he was never going to be like geno. my geno. that doesn't mean i love him any less."</p><p>"*really... are ya happy now?" Error questions, not understanding why he did not care. A spin, a sudden turn... did Reaper really lay him against him and raise him up, then start dragging his feet across the floor?</p><p>"*very. don't get me wrong. i still miss him. but i love my current geno too." Reaper said with the truest smile Error had seen from him, "he's all healed up and living with me in my realm with our nine children. we have another one to come. goth use to live with us but he just moved out."</p><p> </p><p>Error took control once more and getting hold, send them both into a graceful waltz. Silence fell between them for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>"*nine offspring and counting? ya must really like children or just reproduction ya kind." Error stated, only half remember Blueberry heavy talks on other monsters do it for pleasure.</p><p>"*heh hahaha. that's what my first love use to say. every time i wanted to hav- i mean mate." Reaper gives him an exaggerated wink, "we really like repopulating the reaper kind. hehe." another clear wink.</p><p>"*i think there's something wrong with ya socket. it keeps opening and closing in a strange way." Error told him with a deep frown, "maybe ya should see sci about it."</p><p>"*whoa. ha. yeah. another thing. he never got my hints with the winks." Reaper said with a snort, he drew Error closer and turns than the other way in one fast motion.</p><p>"*whatever. ... and for the record. i know what it's like to lose the one i love." Error said, not sure why "i am still mourning my lost... and i have found... or i think i found another who i can love. and who will love me back. not the same. two completely different monsters."</p><p>"*whoa. didn't think someone like ya can love anyone. heh." Reaper said with a cheeky smile, "by the way. ya put to much weight on ya left foot."</p><p>"*no. that's just me hinting at ya: 'ya doing ya turns wrong'." Error said with a sharp laugh and for a second a glitch-free one, suddenly Reaper freeze, causing the pair to come to a halt, "something the matter?"</p><p>"*geno?" Reaper breathes out and an expression of complete confusion crosses his features, he reaches Error's cheek, staring the glitch right into his sockets and leaning for a closer look, "is that you?"</p><p>"*NO!" A small voice cries out before Error could even begin to understand what Reaper said.</p><p> </p><p>Purple Ink appears between them, pushing Reaper away from Error- the small Ink then drops to his knees holding the front of his jumper tightly, rattling all over.</p><p> </p><p>Error was already there, lifting his son up and turning him to see the damage- a loud crack of a breaking SOUL echoed throughout the dance hall.</p><p> </p><p>'*no. no.no. no. no. no.no. no.no. no.no. no. no. no.no. no.' Error's mind screamed at him, he quickly summons Purple Ink's SOUL, the white metal frame was crumbling, 'its okay. i can still-'</p><p>Error did not know what to do, he looks up with pleading sockets to Reaper, who was slowly stepping backwards a look of pure shock shone in his sockets.</p><p>'*useless moron!' Error thinks, he felt Purple Ink grab his hand and stare at him, tears of pain pouring down his cheeks, 'why is it happening so slowly?! death by reaper should be instant!'</p><p> </p><p>A piece broke away. And Error felt something new which stunned him- the SOUL's essence at its purest and perfect form... Purple Ink's felt like his own.</p><p> </p><p>Laying the child on the floor kneeling beside him- who closed his orbits shut and reached a hand out for his father; Error reaches for his sockets and roughly rips out his 'eternal' strings- the strongest and brightest, the ones that held the SOULs of the most determined humans forever.</p><p>Just as the artificial SOUL container snaps and turns to ink, he quickly bound the purple SOUL essence with his powerful strings, before it could fade... unexpectedly the purple essence was glitchy and had ERROR signs written in its depths.</p><p>Once Error was finished carefully knitting his sons SOUL into place, until only a few bits of purple was showing through the neatly woven blue strings and he was sure that it was not going to escape- he summons his own SOUL- it was only a fragment of a SOUL with glitching ERROR yellow signs where the rest of his SOUL should be; he began giving his mana to Purple Ink.</p><p> </p><p>For what could of been seconds, minutes or hours, the ERROR pours himself into his son- he 'tch'ed loudly, when he noticed the purple 'tear marks' appear from the sockets and no doubt permanently staining his cheek- oddly enough, they seemed to go underneath the ink blow on his right cheek.</p><p> </p><p>And then growls when he sees the small glitches appearing all over on Purple Ink's still form- he did not look to be in pain anymore.</p><p> </p><p>However, he was not waking up.</p><p> </p><p>Returning both SOULs to place, he takes the child into his arms and stands- he opens a portal and of course heads towards the long-suffering Sci, who he always went to in an emergency. He hears Reaper speaking softly to him, Error did not even spare him a glance.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>Ink liked this dream- watching Error dance with Purple Ink for a little while was very amusing.</p><p> </p><p>But after a while, the glitch went off to one side, knitting happily with a bright smile, as Purple Ink learned some basic steps.</p><p> </p><p>The joy that came from the small Ink caused Ink to grin boldly.</p><p> </p><p>Purple Ink was sure to grab Error attention if it even wondered.</p><p> </p><p>Then Reaper showed up.</p><p> </p><p>At first, Ink thought they were going to try and kill each other, the way they kept glaring or smiling.</p><p> </p><p>The dream turned weird when Error and Reaper started dancing all around the hall, in one of the strangest forms of dance he had ever seen.</p><p> </p><p>They began talking through their dance.</p><p> </p><p>It looked like Reaper was going to kiss Error!</p><p> </p><p>Nope! Not happening! This dream Error belonged to Ink!</p><p> </p><p>Purple Ink rushed across the hall- Ink did not think that Reaper could kill even in a dream. And so painfully too.</p><p> </p><p>Ink felt no more from Purple Ink, his mind went over to Pink Ink.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They had been playing their new favourite game 'Weeping Skeletons' with a 'father' candidate when they all felt it.</p><p> </p><p>The death of one of them.</p><p> </p><p>Pink Ink housed their Queen's mind.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly the Rainbow Inks began to cry, confusion the adults around them.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. The Hive Arc: Blue Ink</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error was happy Blue Ink had finally settled on a hobby, he was the last one- Lilac had chosen already and they were going to take some lessons next week; of course, Error felt a little guilty, all the others Inks had almost had him to themselves, while the others stayed with babysitters. But Blue Ink has to share his new found interest with the others.</p><p> </p><p>For a number of reasons; firstly, Error did want to let any of them out of his sight at the moment. The second, no one was even willing to take them. And thirdly...</p><p>Error glances down at Blue Ink happily writing his story in fancy penmanship- then stole a look towards the others.</p><p> </p><p>They all were painting and making a huge mess- in the centre was Purple Ink, looking better than he had done in weeks. The glitches had lessened and the purple 'tear mark' had gotten paler and paler; the glitches and markings only came out when Purple Ink was overly stressed, upset or mad.</p><p>When he came around in the labs, the first thing he had done was scream and shout that his brothers were dead; Error quickly explains that they were fine and it had been him that was hurt.</p><p>That had been the first of many things Error learned on just how deep their connection went.</p><p> </p><p>It seems that his sons held each other up mentally, what one learned they would share their knowledge with the others, and what one forgot the others would remember.</p><p>Purple Ink became lost in a world that was not his own, relearning a lot of how things worked. He only seemed to recognise only Error and would not let his father out of his sight.</p><p>When it came time for him to come home, The Rainbow Inks did not view him and them, and Purple Ink did not know them as his brothers.</p><p> </p><p>Error had taken to carrying Purple Ink everywhere when he found Green Ink and Pink Ink trying to push him out the window. He had rarely shouted at his sons and now he saw this was a mistake since it only made it worst for Purple Ink.</p><p>Purple Ink was soon on his feet and his love for dancing had not faded- it seemed the things they learned by themselves had stuck with them. It became a shining hope for him.</p><p>Blue Ink giggles as he wrote the next line, Error gazes down and then looks back to the painting Inks, making sure Purple Ink was fine; The love of art was the one thing they all loved to do together and thankfully, the others did not bully Purple Ink when it was art time.</p><p> </p><p>"*everything ok?" Error asks Blue Ink, reaching down and rubs the top of his skull gentle, the guilt was still brewing under the surface.</p><p>"*Purple Ink is happy!" Blue Ink said simply, as he continues writing is a little story.</p><p>"*no connecting with the others whi- wait! purple ink?" Error asks leaning down, "ya said purple ink right?"</p><p>"*Yes! Purple Ink came back!" Blue Ink's smiles drop slightly, frowning deeply then, "And Purple Ink has gone again..."</p><p>"*sci did say it would be a little harder for him to join ya all hive minds." Error mumbles his thoughts out loud, then turns to look at the others, Purple Ink was chatting with Orange Ink. It was an odd sight, normally the child did not need to talk in the open.</p><p> </p><p>It used to be a sight that Error wanted to see, they all chatting and laughing together open without the use of the minds, if it had not been for the way it was done; turning back to Blue Ink he reads over the child's shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>"*where do ya get these ideas from?" Error said with a snort, then another thought came to mind, "...ya wouldn't do these things right?"</p><p>"*Do what things Papa?" Blue Ink asks sweetly, tilting his skull. Error taps on the paper, pointing to a set of words, "Papa is so funny! Of course, Inks wouldn't -" Error sighs in relief, "not not do them."</p><p>"*wait what?" Error says confused at this wording, "not not?"</p><p>"*Who's there?!" Blue Ink asks with a laugh, he knew what he was doing.</p><p> </p><p>Error felt a socket glitch. Out of all of them, he was sure that Blue Ink and Lilac Ink, was the most like Ink. Perhaps because they were the two final Inks to find a hobby and had been doing nothing but artwork up until this point? The pair was the most likely of the two to play a prank on Error, while the others would want Error to play a prank alongside them.</p><p> </p><p>"*blue ink." Error growls a warning, which the child did not heed.</p><p>"*Blue Ink who?" Blue Ink says with a bold grin, he laughs a little, then pokes his tongue out, "And to answer Papa's question, what makes Papa think that Inks haven't alright done these things?"</p><p>Error moans loudly, he was trying to build a good relationship with himself and the rest of the multiverse- if they had gone around doing these things, then everyone is going to think he was a bad father! Will they really take his sons away from him?</p><p>"*please don't. whatever ya reasoning. don't. even if it makes sense to ya. don't." Error said with another moan, "understand? just don't. ya leave things to me."</p><p>"*Nope!" Blue Ink told him sweetly and went back to writing.</p><p> </p><p>Silence fell between father and son.</p><p> </p><p>Error lets out a sigh, he was beginning to think he should have given them up to other monsters when he first got them. The 'them' and 'us' behaviour they displayed with Purple Ink was scary... Everyone had been telling Error that there was something wrong about them from the start and maybe he had done this, they would not be like they were now.</p><p>A loud thump sounded somewhere in the house, Error looks over to the Rainbow Inks, then back at Blue Ink- all there counted for.</p><p> </p><p>"*what was that?" Error hisses, he leaps to his feet and rushes towards the door, ready to attack whoever had dared entered his home.</p><p> </p><p>Seven little Inks blocked his path.</p><p> </p><p>This alone raised a few questions.</p><p> </p><p>"*what was that?" Error asks them sweetly, they all stare at him, he looks over to Purple Ink who had hurried to his side- he grabs the glitching child and brings him into his arms, the markings had begun to show.</p><p>"*What was what Papa?" The seven Inks say with one voice, another thump above, and he was sure he heard one of them 'tch'.</p><p> </p><p>Error knowing that this was their doing, took a chance and shortcutted away from them; he stood in the playroom, staring around. A wet noise and Error sees seven little ink puddles appear.</p><p>Another thump. Nearer and louder.</p><p> </p><p>It had come from the walk-in closet where they kept the art supplies.</p><p>Error readjusts Purple Ink in his arms, so he had one arm completely free. And went over to the closet; he could not remember the last time he went in here, the children normally got everything themselves and if needed anything, just asked.</p><p>A hand on the closet's handle.</p><p> </p><p>He glances behind him, watching the seven Inks' expressions, they gave nothing away; then turning around and glaring at the door, he swung it open and blinks at the scene.</p><p> </p><p>"*cross?" Error asked the bound skeleton, who was tied with colourful ropes, "this has where ya been the last three week!"</p><p> </p><p>Error had asked his date mate's old friend, to watch the children while he went on a date with Dream after they had made up. Cross was the only monster willing to babysit.</p><p>Cross cries something through the gag, he was shaking his skull fearfully, his eyelight was trying to tell him something; it looked like he was gesturing behind him, to the Inks.</p><p>Error raises a hand to his socket, he watches Cross's expression turned to pure horror when the glitch binds his strings around his fingers; then lightning fast, they went for Cross, cutting the ropes.</p><p> </p><p>Blinking the warrior jumps to his feet and opens a portal, he vanishes within without looking back. The ropes must have kept him from shortcutting away.</p><p> </p><p>"*what was that about?" Error asks loudly, he did not think he gets an answer. He turns to stare at his sons, finally realizing what others had been explaining to him all along, the words that were spoken in a hush: 'they are creepy', 'not normal', 'little freaks', 'are these really Ink's sons?', 'abominations'. Any who Error heard say this never really lived for much longer...</p><p> </p><p>"*A skeleton in Inks's closet." Blue Ink says, at last, he almost looked like was going to cry now.</p><p> </p><p>All the seven Inks had this blank expression on their faces. All waiting to face their father's judgement.</p><p> </p><p>Error blinks. He gazes towards Purple Ink, and meet his sockets.</p><p> </p><p>The pair threw back their skulls and roared with laughter, both glitching wildly together.</p><p> </p><p>It took them several minutes to calm down.</p><p> </p><p>"*ya all grounded." Error said trying to sound mad, but the insane grin gave him away, pointing a finger Blue Ink, "i don't care how funny that was. ya grounded. and no tv or video games for a month. come on this is still ya day for ya hobby."</p><p> </p><p>Error shortcutted downstairs places the giggling Purple Ink to the floor while the others arrived through ink. Blue Ink went over to Error and hugs him tight, while the others Inks took Purple Ink back into their fold and went over to their art table.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Oh busted! Ink grins.</p><p> </p><p><br/>He was pleased with Error's reply.</p><p> </p><p><br/>He felt an intent way of love through the links of his clones; they really did love their father, too bad this was all just a dream...</p><p> </p><p>...speaking of dream... Ink was annoyed that Error had gotten together with him once more, but he was not going to stand in the way, not with what happened to Purple Ink, so he chose to just watch and see what happens. But as soon as Dream makes a mistake, he was going to take dream Error for himself.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Blue Ink happily returns to writing his stories, most of their plans came from him now; he gazes at his father, who was grinning to himself and smiles.</p><p> </p><p>He and his brothers had always heard the cruellest things towards them growing up, and they had was so careful to hide their more violent side from their loving father.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, now that he was thinking about it, did not those around him say some cruel things about their father too? Talk of 'Destroyer of Worlds'? 'Insane mad monster'? 'A SOULless killer'? That can not be right... their father did not seem like the sort, he was a kind and peaceful skeleton, who only wanted to be a part of the Star Council, right?</p><p><br/><br/>Perhaps they did not know their father well, after all, Error has shown them that he loved pranks, willing to fight and could become enraged towards others. And he did not care about their 'strange' behaviour. Just love them for who they were. </p><p> </p><p>The more Blue Ink thought about it, the more he wanted to learn everything there was about his beloved Papa.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>... they still needed to get the message across to Cross, no more trying to bug their house. Wait! Papa said leaves things to him, right? Then might as well tell him what Cross had been doing. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. The Hive Arc: Lilac Ink</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error was frozen in place, his grin twitching as he silently begs for Lilac Ink to hurry up and take the photo with their camera; the little Ink had asked for them all to come to Error's moon for Lilac's day and that's what they did.</p><p> </p><p>However, Lilac was very slow at clicking the button and kept asking to wait in a certain pose with a certain expression.</p><p> </p><p>Shifting his eyelights to the side he hears the others Inks playing his sunflower maze he had made a lifetime ago; today they were banned to link minds, Error stating that they could play different kinds of games if they had a challenge to them.</p><p>Turns out he was right, his sons loved playing without the mind link and was now playing that silly game he had made up- 'weeping skeletons'. Red Ink, Purple Ink and Yellow Ink were acting as 'humans', while Blue Ink, Orange Ink, Pink Ink and Green Ink were playing as the 'weeping skeletons'- their laughter warmed his cold dark SOUL.</p><p> </p><p>And Error grins a little more freely- a click and a flash.</p><p> </p><p>Blinking he turns to see Lilac Ink grinning at him, giving him a thumbs up. Then the little skeleton came rushing over to show him the latest picture on the digital screen.</p><p> </p><p>Error leans into his son, he could hear the delight in Lilac's voice as he explains what he was going for. ... it kind of reminded him of Ink when they were 'friends'. The artist would sometimes appear when he was on break from his job, knitting away, then he hears the sound of a pencil.</p><p> </p><p>Whenever Ink had finished, he would come over and show it off to Error.</p><p>Error reaches up and strokes his son's skull, who rattles loudly in reply.</p><p> </p><p>"*ya look like ya having fun." Error says kindly, he gets another rattle, "heh. want to play for a little while?"</p><p> </p><p>Lilac Ink nods, before leaning over to him, giving him a big hug around his father's neck; he then hands Error his camera and darts off.</p><p>Error sighs as he watches the little skeleton vanish from sight. A deep frown replaces his happy expression. He glances around his moon and for once glad he never had taken Dream here.</p><p>Error was debating if he should build a house on his flower moon and leave the housing estate of the Star Council behind- its seems that for all the good he had done for the multiverse after ink's passing, he was still not trusted.</p><p>Blue Ink had come up to him, with his brothers in tow, claiming that the reason they had bound Cross up was that he was planting bugs and cameras all over the place.</p><p> </p><p>Error had merely stared at them. His sons had never lied to him before and he saw no reason for them to lie about this just to get out of being grounded since he had not banned them from any of their art supplies.</p><p>Error sent them over to Nightmare's place and told them that he was going to visit Dream; Cross was Dream's Knight, he answered to his date mate and only did things by his order.</p><p> </p><p>However, Nightmare chose to stand on his brother's side when Error phones him up- so the children had to stand next to him while he asked his questions.</p><p> </p><p>Dream did not reveal the reason behind the sudden surveillance on him and his sons. So the whole conversation kept looping around until Error lost his rag- pointing a finger in Dream's face he began ordering the dos and don'ts for the future- which Error thought was reasonable; if they wanted to put anything in his home, for whatever reason, come and talk to him first and other stuff.</p><p>Dream had this strange blush on his cheeks during the whole time and meekly nods at Error's demanding requests and biting remarks.</p><p> </p><p>After that Dream asked him out of a date...</p><p> </p><p>Error raised a question to Nightmare, who just sighed heavily and told Error a little strange fact about the keeper of dreams.</p><p>It seems that Dream likes bad guys turned good, liked it when they are firm with him.</p><p>Error did not know what to do with this information...</p><p> </p><p>For now, Error was planning on moving, however, he still needed to keep connections for the Rainbow Inks's sake- for future schools, friends and hopefully a peaceful, stress-free job that did not bring them any hate.</p><p>A couple of days later Reaper had shown up, asking for forgiveness... he made the mistake doing this close to where the Inks were having lunch and Purple Ink, who had been taken in by his brothers again, had pointed to him and said: '*Oh look! That's the skeleton that killed me!'</p><p> </p><p>Error had thought that his sons drank a bottle of red paint the way their expression's had turned. He shooed the children away, apart from Purple Ink, who he told to say sorry as well since it was Purple Ink who had ran at Reaper.</p><p>Then Reaper asked Error for dinner with him, his mate Geno and his oldest son Goth; the younger skeleton seemed to take a liking to Error. Error shrugged not caring much and sent the death skeleton away.</p><p>After that Error noticed a little something about Purple Ink; he no longer spoke in the third person. Addressing himself as 'i' and 'me'. And he continued with this even after his connection was back in place.</p><p>Another thing he noticed, the seven other Inks had taken a protective attitude towards Purple Ink.</p><p> </p><p>Error's mind drifts towards Ink, half wondering what would have happened if the artist had lived to see this day- would he had taken in his sons, or left them to others to raise? there was really no way of telling with Ink. Would Dream had chosen to stick to Ink? Or would he have gone with Error? Would Error even have stayed with them?</p><p>A sad little smile appear on his jaws, he closes his orbits, he could almost see that mocking grin directed his way... he really had loved Ink...</p><p> </p><p>Error blinks at the sound of clicking and the flashing of light. Turning he sees Lilac Ink standing there, camera in hand. Looking down he found that the camera that was given to him gone.</p><p> </p><p>Error grins.</p><p> </p><p>"*ya sneaked up on me? heh. when did ya skills get so good?" Error said with a laugh, he starts to stand and glances around, the others were standing just behind Lilac Ink, "and what can i do for ya little bratlings?"</p><p>"*Papa is blooming!" Lilac Ink points out, he rushes over, "Time to uproot?"</p><p>"*yeah. but we can do that in the morning." Error told him sweetly, "they doing me no harm."</p><p>"*Is Papa sure?" Lilac Ink asks with a little frown, his small hand touches the chrysanthemum growing through the sudden cracks.</p><p>"*i'm sure. go play. unless ya want to take some more photos?" Error asks nodding towards the camera.</p><p>"*Liliac Ink wants to play more!" Lilac Ink told his father with a grin, at Error's nod he spun around and went over with his brothers, taking the camera with him this time.</p><p> </p><p>Error's sockets turn to Purple Ink, the child no longer had a SOUL container and his SOUL essence was being held together by Error's eternal strings- but there was something that was not right about that essence. Because it seemed to be Error's own SOUL.</p><p>The ERROR had gone to Sci, demanding answers, only for his old friend to claim that he was not ready for the truth. So it meant that Error was not going to like the answers- he could almost guess; the Red Echo had taken Ink's body with Error's SOUL essence... somehow.</p><p> </p><p>Error frowns deeply, he slowly gazes around his moonflower... the flowers had were made from his SOUL's magic, the deepest form of magic- love.</p><p> </p><p>Error felt sweat form on the back of his skull, had the Red Echo come and discovered his garden? Even if that was the case, how did they take from it without Error noticing? Incoming and outgoing access was recorded. The only ones to come to his moon before the Inks were 'born' was Error himself, Fresh and Sci.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly Error was being hugged again.</p><p> </p><p>Blinking he sees Lilac Ink was beside him once more and he smiles.</p><p> </p><p>"*Papa looks a little scared... do not worry! 'We' are here!" Lilac Ink announces with a bold grin, "And 'we' will never leave you!"</p><p> </p><p>Error grins and leans into the little skeleton's hug; his son had just said 'we' instead of 'Inks' and 'you' instead of 'Papa'.</p><p> </p><p>Whatever the answers to his many questions were, will not change the fact that these were his beloved sons growing along with his beloved flowers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>Ink cheers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The brats made Error grin in a way he had never seen before!</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly a little stirring darkness came in the blackness of his mind- which he quickly cut off from the Inks. No need to let them know he was jealous, he was getting his emotions from them.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Rainbow Inks were proud of themselves, they had learned the right words to make their father happy.</p><p> </p><p>And whenever father was happy, Queen was happy too. A win-win.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. The Hive Arc: Ink's Awakening</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ink had seen the flower moon many times through the sockets of the Rainbow Inks, as Error lovingly calls them- he had seen the children pluck the flowers with the roots from the glitch's bones and then later plant them on that moon.</p><p> </p><p>So he understood these were not normal flowers. But hanahaki.</p><p> </p><p>And since this was all a dream, this must come from when he saw Error with those flowers growing on him.</p><p>The dream has now become a nightmare.</p><p> </p><p>The flowers were causing the bones to crack, a sickening noise went through the bedroom- Error did not seem to mind, nor care that he was falling apart at the seams. He seemed more worried about his 'sons' Ink's clones.</p><p>Soon Error summons another portal, but he did not care who came through- he had to get his clones to Error, had to get those flowers out of him now.</p><p>Sci was kept them back and since they were scared of the scientist, they did not want to fight him. But once they noticed Dream's tears, they all begin crying. All asking to be with their father.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly the Rainbow Inks had turned their attention to him; Ink felt the world around him shift. And suddenly he was no longer staring through the sockets of his clones.</p><p> </p><p>He was staring up at a high ceiling, through a glass.</p><p> </p><p>Blinking in confusion he slowly sits up in his glass coffin... and then it hits him. This was world life. He was no longer in the tanks of the Red Echo. And that everything had not been a dream.</p><p> </p><p>Slowly he turns around, he sees the glitchy portal where Bob was collecting the flowers his clones had taken out of Error.</p><p> </p><p>He then noticed that Error had just vanished through another portal and when he did, the one Ink was looking through closed.</p><p>Ink takes both hands and pushes them against the thick glass, and broke it easily. He needed to get to Error, needed to see if he was fine...</p><p> </p><p>And his emotions just stopped. It seems they the clones could not feed their emotions to him while he was awake. But that did not matter, while he did not know what his heart wanted, he knew what his mind wanted.</p><p>So he stood through the opening the glass he made and leaps out to the floor; he needs his paints first, then get to Error, then find Dream...</p><p> </p><p>Ink blinks, he could feel his memories of his dreaming state begin to fade. So he needed to work fast.</p><p> </p><p>The artist grits his teeth, then reaches down, he was glad that they had chosen to leave his paints on his 'dead' body as some kind of respect to him. Carefully but quickly he began drinking his colours.</p><p> </p><p>"*Error. Error. Error." Ink mumbles between sips, so he knew what he was doing, or what he wanted to do... or was Error attacking a universe? Ink pauses. No. He could not feel any universes under attack.</p><p> </p><p>The artist halts his mad dash, wondering just what he had been doing... and what this strange feeling pushing at the back of his mind.</p><p> </p><p>Turning to look all around him, he notices his giant brush in a glass box, seemingly where he had just been; he quickly checks his scarf and found it completely blank. Which was a little scary?</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly little voices began screaming at him. Words that made no sense. But a few he knew, 'Dream' and 'Nightmare'. So he was going to find his friend?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. The Hive: Boneus Chapter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dream was kneeling down, trying to stop a couple of the Inks from sobbing their SOULs out- they cried bitter tears, with broken speech they beg to see their faster.</p><p> </p><p>The keeper of positivity and dreams was being drowned in their pain and sorrow. And there was nothing that could be done until Sci give them the word that Error was fine.</p><p>Turning to his brother, Dream sees Nightmare having a hard time with the more active Inks. He had his black mist tentacles coming out of his back and had their feet off the ground slightly.</p><p> </p><p>Dream was sure that was not the right way to do things, however, with so many little Inks with almost half the strength and power of their original, put them up there as powerful Sanses- having eight of them together made them an equal to Ink; the Rainbow Inks did not know how to use their power and magic which made them both safe and deadly.</p><p>Cross and Killer were helping, it trying to. Both did not know how to deal with them. And soon Dream knew that the sadness within will turn to rage and then they could lose the house once again- Dream really did not want to rebuild.</p><p> </p><p>"*Dream!" Came an old familiar voice that he had not heard outside of the dream world.</p><p>Turning Dream sees his old friend, dream lover, standing there glaring at his brother ready to attack.</p><p>"*Ink! Wait!" Dream cries out trying to stop him before it was too late, everyone turned to the sound of his screams. And was shocked to see the very alive Ink standing about to attack.</p><p> </p><p>Dream leaves the little skeletons and rushes towards Ink, throwing his arms around him. He held him tight for a moment, leaving completely shocked that Ink was here with him.</p><p>Dream frowns, it was the Rainbow Inks that kept Ink trapped, so why did they free him from his mind.</p><p>Pulling away he sees his friend's confused expression, question marks shone in his sockets.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly he was looking beyond Dream, and the golden skeleton turns to see the little Inks lined up in front of them. There were tears in their sockets as they stared up at him in silence.</p><p> </p><p>"*Huh? Error is?" Ink suddenly says looking at the little ones, he glances towards Dream and then back to the children, "Then let's go!"</p><p>Ink threw some paint onto the ground and was about to jump through it when Dream grabs his arm.</p><p>"*Wait! My friend, I must explain many things to you!" Dream says him quickly, not wanting to let go now that he was at last here.</p><p>"*Its fine! Those strange skeletons have told me everything!" Ink replies with a bold grin, "I'm going to see Error!"</p><p> </p><p>With that Ink stoke his arm out of Dream's grip and along with the Rainbow Inks, he drives through.</p><p> </p><p>"*what the hell?!" Cross roars out suddenly making Dream jump, turning to his friend he sees how stunned he was, "i thought he was dead!"</p><p> </p><p>Nightmare lets out a heavy sigh, then turns to give his brother a dark look. Like he saw through everything that was him; Dream could not take that stare and had to turn away.</p><p> </p><p>"*let us chase after them." Nightmare told them opening a black portal for everyone to go through, he nods to Killer to go first, "go on cross." the dark skeleton told him; Dream's Knight looks to him and Dream nods for him to go.</p><p>Soon the two apple brothers stood there.</p><p> </p><p>"*we need to talk dream." Nightmare says darkly, he was glaring hard making Dream back away slightly, the once evil Sans sighs and his expression soften," however. later. we need to calm the inks down. as well as ink himself. keep in mind. those children have only told him from their point of view. you still need to explain everything to him."</p><p> </p><p>Nightmare held out his hand for Dream to take. Smiling Dream took that offered hand and together they walked through.</p><p> </p><p>... and encountered complete and utter chaos on the other side.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Sci felt the sweat run down the side of his skull.</p><p> </p><p>Ink was in the room while he sat and explain to everyone that Error was currently in a coma due to how his body reacted to the drugs he was taking to take his flowers at bay.</p><p>The little Inks were heartbroken at the news.</p><p> </p><p>One by one the adult and children skeletons left the room leaving the exhausted scientist walks around his desk and flops down on one of the sofas his guest had been sitting on. He rests his skull on the back of the seat and stares up at the ceiling.</p><p>All his thoughts were of his dear friend, Error, who may be suffering because of him and the drugs they made.</p><p> </p><p>"*why are you so afraid?" A low dark voice came from the shadows, causing Sci to be frozen in fear as he slowly turns around to face Nightmare.</p><p>"*sorry. what?" Sci says looking at him, keeping his features free of any emotions but on the inside, he was a mess.</p><p>"*you are frightened by something?" Nightmare went on, only his purple eyelights could be seen in the darkness upon a wall that should not be dark at all.</p><p>"*i am just worried for my friend." Sci told him, feeling that sweat forming once more, "and his reaction when he wakes up. i kept telling him that ink was dead. that there was no hope of him coming back."</p><p>"*i see." Nightmare says stepping out of the shadow and glares at him, "you are hiding something."</p><p>"*i have to hide any things." Sci says with a lazy grin now, regaining his composure.</p><p> </p><p>He had a been on his feet for hours when he came to Error and saw his friend falling apart. And it had taken twenty-nine hours to remove all the flower, to link his mana veins together, to heal the many deep wounds that were causing him to break and creak. Sci had to force Error into a coma, then hooked him up to life-saving machines. He even went against his better judgement and used DT on his friend, which caused him a great amount of stress.</p><p>So to say he was a little bit fearful of the outcome was an understatement.</p><p> </p><p>Nightmare gave him a long silence stare, then slowly went back into the shadows and the wall returned to normal.</p><p>With a heavy sigh, the scientist stood and quickly shortcuts to his friend's room.</p><p>And blinks in shock at the sight before him.</p><p> </p><p>"*no! off! all of ya off!" Sci told the Rainbow Inks, who had completely covered the sleeping skeleton that was their father.</p><p>The Rainbow Inks who were normally scared of him, no doubt it was because of the lab coat, now merely at him without fear. Which confused him.</p><p> </p><p>All the Inks stared at him, almost daring him to come and remove them.</p><p>With a tired sigh, the skeleton took a step towards the bed, then pauses.</p><p>One of the Inks was not like the others.</p><p> </p><p>Laying pressed at Error's side was Ink, his skull tucked under the glitch's chin. With a couple of clones on upon him too- and the artist was staring at him much like the little ones.</p><p> </p><p>"*ink. was ya listening to anything i said? ya can't be here." Sci says to him in anger, this was the one who caused his dear friend so much pain.</p><p>"*I know." Came Ink's reply, "But I want to be here for when he wakes up."</p><p>Sci reaches up and rubs his temple, he did not know how Error dealt with the protector of the multiverse, but he could not. Dropping his hand he gave a small glare.</p><p> </p><p>"*please leave. some of the things error hook up to is keeping him alive." Sci told him firmly, then no one even made an effect to move he sighs heavy.</p><p>"*I'll be careful!" Ink says quickly, "I'll be sure not to touch them. I haven't so far."</p><p> </p><p>Sci was too tired to deal with this and the protector seemed to be fine...</p><p> </p><p>"*no. nope." Sci says shaking his skull, he glares at the skeletons, "off. he needs healing. he does not need you lot flopping all over him."</p><p> </p><p>Ink slowly slips off and the Rainbow Inks follow along.</p><p> </p><p>The artist then walks over to him and stares him right in the face.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly Ink's features changed, a nightmare fuel image was displayed for Sci's viewing and he had to step back due to fear.</p><p> </p><p>"<strong>*If you do anything to harm Error in any way. I will destroy everything you hold dear.</strong>" Ink hisses at him darkly, behind him all the little skeleton had the same appearance as their Queen, all promising the same thing if Sci messes up.</p><p> </p><p>Sci nods and waves them to the door.</p><p>Ink instead makes a paint portal and steps through it. All the little ones did the same.</p><p>Sci quickly went over to his friend, checking him over. With another sigh, he went over to the seat that was beside his bed and coughs.</p><p> </p><p>Sci could not understand why the drugs blocked Error's magic the way it had done. The scientist reaches for the rim of his brown jumper and pulls that and his shirt up to reveal his ribs, where purple lavender flowers grew.</p><p>The drugs had suppressed the flowers from growing and stopped the blood from appearing.</p><p> </p><p>Once he had seen Error in his state he had paused his own intake of the drug until he could find what was what with it.</p><p>Sci Sans drops his jumper hiding the flowers, then stares at his dear friend. He had tried to give him everything he wanted from afar- however, everything seemed to be failing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Sci sighs deeply, taking in his own lavender scent, he would never admit that he was in love with the ERROR.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ink crept into the dark room.</p><p> </p><p>Everything had been explained to him and he could hardly believe the events that had happened while he was sleeping.</p><p>The Red Echo raising. Error becoming a member of the Star Council. The Star Council forming an army. Error and Dream growing close. Error and Dream becoming somewhat mates. Dream getting his brother back. The downfall of Red Echo. Error finding him and his clones. Error raising the clones.</p><p>It was all a bit much to take in.</p><p> </p><p>Ink was glad that no one seemed to forget about him.</p><p> </p><p>Ink came to the bed and tilts his skull.</p><p> </p><p>Error was covered in his tiny clones once again. Ink pouts, they always seemed to get to him before he does.</p><p>The artist glances towards the door- Sci made rounds of Error. He was not sure if the glitch was still in love with Sci, even if he was with Dream at the moment.</p><p>Error was his friend. And he had to protect him.</p><p> </p><p>Ink had already confronted Sci once, asking if he was in love with Error. Sci claims he was not, saying he was just a friend and workmate. They studied the flowers together.</p><p>Ink got into a bit of a fright with Sci after that. It did not end well. Thankfully the scientist seemed to be over it and had not mentioned anything to anyone.</p><p> </p><p>Ink carefully climbs onto the bed, mentally telling some clones to move aside; which they did. The skeleton flattens himself against the glitching skeleton.</p><p>It had been months since he wake up and Error went to sleep.</p><p> </p><p>Ink really did not want this, he wanted his old friend to return and play with him once more... closes his sockets he leans his frontal bone against the glitch's cheek and remained there for a while.</p><p>Of course, Error had woken him from his coma state about a week ago. And flat out refused to see him. Ink was sure if he had a SOUL this could hurt him. But since he felt nothing, he merely went to sleep him during night time...</p><p> </p><p>The clones too.</p><p> </p><p>They were noisy little freaks, he did not know how Error dealt with them. They lived with Dream and Nightmare while Error was in his coma and Ink joined them thinking it would be interesting. Thankfully they started schooling so he only had to deal with them for so long.</p><p>Ink's orbits snap open, he felt a hand gently stroking his skull. The arm he had been laying on was now pressed against his back.</p><p>Turning his skull slightly up, Ink sees Error's sockets open and he was sleepily staring at the ceiling.</p><p> </p><p>Raising himself up, he leans over the glitch. Who blinks at him.</p><p> </p><p>Ink smiles brightly, it was so nice to see the ERROR. It ate at his yellow paints greatly but it felt worth it.</p><p> </p><p>"*yellow ink? no blue ink?" Error mumbles to him, blinking, then kindly says, "its late. you have school in the morning. get some rest."</p><p> </p><p>Ink lowers himself back down and felt that stroking once more. It was so familiar... did this happen in a dream before? He almost wished he could stay like this with Error, forever.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Error blinks.</p><p> </p><p>He often woke in the middle of the night to find his son flopped all over him.</p><p>Blinking he stares at the many skulls grinning down at him.</p><p> </p><p>One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and nine.</p><p> </p><p>Relaxing the glitch closes his sockets, his Inks were all here...</p><p> </p><p>Nine?</p><p> </p><p>Error's sockets slowly open.</p><p> </p><p>One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and nine.</p><p> </p><p>Error blinks at the ninth grinning Ink- his drug up mind was in a state of confusion because of it.</p><p> </p><p>Then he remembered.</p><p> </p><p>Sci had explained that he had seen Ink that day. That Ink was really alive. And that he did not seem to remember anything while captured by the Red Echo.</p><p>Error did not have the confidence to see his old friend and secret love. Requesting that Ink never appears before him.</p><p> </p><p>"*Ink?" Error questions to the ninth one, who leans down, coming nearer.</p><p>"*Hiya Error. Miss me?" Ink asks with a bold grin.</p><p> </p><p>Error wanted to scream and shout at the artist, demand him to get off of him and leave. However, with his sons here he would not say any of those things.</p><p>Instead, he sighs deeply and gives the artist a small smile. Error gave up trying, let Ink come, who cares.</p><p> </p><p>"*hiya ink. did you miss me?" Error returns his question, relaxing on his pillow while he watches his Rainbow Inks happily look between the two adult skeletons.</p><p> </p><p>In reply Ink merely smiles and lays on top of him, along with the eight little Inks... Error just blinks up at the ceiling...</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0029"><h2>29. The Beloved Arc: Dahlia</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error walks the street calmly; there were many monsters and humans around, most from Core's hidden world. It was not uncommon for them to approach him and demand that he releases their Frisk or Chara's SOUL.</p><p> </p><p>Error would kill these ones.</p><p> </p><p>Their world had flaws. And he did not understand why no one else could spot the fault in the universe's code. The mistakes, errors; bugs, virus and glitches. It seems only him sees this.</p><p>However, others were grateful that he was no longer attacking worlds... that was not true; Error was still destroying universes, only now he went about it more silently as he has done when he first started out. <em>However</em>, he was taking a break now. It had been only a year since he had destroyed any universe and the unseen pressure was building.</p><p>Error moves pass the buildings, coming to a large park- Entering it, he began to walk faster through the paths. There was no shortcutting allowed in this place, which drives him mad.</p><p>Soon the ERROR comes to a lake in the centre of the park. The bright sun shone over the water, making it look like little diamonds.</p><p>Error smiles and turns his skull upwards the face the sun, closing his sockets; the sun felt so warm.</p><p> </p><p>He knew about skeletons, had studied and researched his kind over the years, alongside his Hanahaki Disease with his dear friend Sci, since different monsters reacted different ways to the illness.</p><p>And the thing about skeletons was, that they did not need to eat 'real' food. That only came about because of them being trapped underground since they needed to adapt. Even developing such things as tongues.</p><p>Skeletons drink water and ate sunlight.</p><p> </p><p>And in learning this fact, Error made sure his children sunbathed every day.</p><p> </p><p>"*Error!" A cheerful voice calls to him; opening his orbit he turns and smiles at his date mate.</p><p>Another skeleton appears next to him, wearing a nice outfit, no doubt bought just for this date.</p><p> </p><p>Dream smiles gently and held out his hand for the glitch to take. And he did. Error was used to touching Dream now.</p><p>"*Are you already?" Dream asks with that same smile, tilting his skull in a cute manner. No doubt mimicking Ink, because he knew this action Error found cute.</p><p>"*yeah. lets go." Error answers with a grin, they began walking side by side next to the next; for a moment just staring at each other's sockets.</p><p>Dream notices a seat next to the water's edge and points it out. And Error nods, they both turn to it. They were meant to be heading for the picnic area, yet, this seemed nicer to Error. There were not many creatures near this place, mostly sticking to the grassy areas.</p><p> </p><p>Error sits and watches Dream do the same. The glitch reaches for his subspace and brings out a basket filled with food. Even while he enjoyed the taste of sunlight, food was still nice now that he had learnt to eat properly. And even better because he learnt how to cook for his sons.</p><p>Error allows Dream to take the basket off him, gazing inside with joy; Error had made all of Dream's favourites.</p><p> </p><p>Soon the happy couple was eating their meal and chatting together. It almost seemed like play pretends for them but they were trying.</p><p>At one point they both fell silent; looking out onto the lake in front of them. Error looks up at the tree they sat under, sunlight was trying to get through the thick leaves. The branches stretched out slightly over the water.</p><p> </p><p>A truly peaceful day.</p><p> </p><p>Error's mind drifts over to his children.</p><p> </p><p>It had been three years since Ink woke up.</p><p> </p><p>Physically they were children, but mentally they were only ten years of age- it took forever to teach them how to speak- they had only known how to rattle and glow at first, basic skeleton communication. It was a challenge for Error, but them being a hive mind helped them grew mentally faster, since they shared any information with each other.</p><p>It was only after Error fell seriously ill with the flowers, were they more willing to learn a little more about the outside of their little unit and went to school. Much to Error's horror and delight: Horror because he was kind of lonely during the days and delight how they had grown s much.</p><p>Once he well enough, then came the conversation with Dream- it was a long heart-to-heart exchange of words, they discussed many things; stuff that they had never told everyone before.</p><p>During this Error Dream confirms that it was true, he was in love with Ink too- however, Ink had rejected Dream's offer of them becoming mates before he had been taking by Red Echo, claiming that since he did not have a SOUL, it would be unfair to him.</p><p>It was Dream who pointed out that neither of them would ever be able to gain Ink's love. And Dream asks for forgiveness for Error one last time, went through with their plans of dating each other fully.</p><p> </p><p>Much to the little Rainbow Inks dismay. While they went to school now, they hated sharing Error's time.</p><p> </p><p>They did not want to give their beloved father over to this skeleton.</p><p> </p><p>It was only in the past couple of weeks did they seem fine with it. And that was only because of something Ink said to them. </p><p>The chrysanthemum was completely cut up and Error thought it best not to interact with Ink in fear of falling love once more... he did not need to worry, it turned out that even with these flowers out, Error was still very much in love with Ink.</p><p>Of course, Error was in a coma-like state for the first six months with the chrysanthemum and once he woke up, everything had already been explained to Ink. The artist had been eager to see him.</p><p> </p><p>Error refused outright.</p><p> </p><p>Yet a few days of recovery in Sci labs, Ink found a way- or at least he thinks...</p><p> </p><p>Error woke up one night, covered in his little skeletons... and one skeleton was not like the other eight.</p><p>Laying fully on top of him, sternum to sternum had been Ink- his skull buried in his neck.</p><p> </p><p>Error had glitched and Ink slowly rose his skull to stare at him with blank sockets. Error crashed.</p><p> </p><p>On rebooting, Error found only the Rainbow Inks. The adult Ink was nowhere to be seen.</p><p> </p><p>This happened every night until Error gave in and asked for Ink... on snapping at the artist, Ink hints that it may be the case but would not admit it. It drove Error up the wall.</p><p>The little Inks did not seem to have a problem with Ink- and while it took a for Error realizes that the clones saw themselves as one and not eight different skeletons, it took a shorter time to notice that they saw Ink as the main body or Queen, that was the only way he would put it...</p><p> </p><p>Error who had taught them all together, always together, that to take them aside one by one who they could grow as individuals. But he was not sure how to deal with this issue, and Ink had been no help. He found the whole thing funny once Error came to him for help. And claimed he would give him aid.</p><p>After that a strange friendship grew between himself and Ink... or rather Ink came around every day to his home uninvited, sometimes bringing items with him that never left the house. It was beginning to feel like Ink was living with them. Sometimes he woke up with Ink in the same bed as him and no little skeletons around- to which he would scream bloody murder at him, earning him a laugh. </p><p>Finished with their lunches, Dream slides closer to Error, resting his skull on the glitch's shoulder; they cuddled. Together they could find happiness, even if it was not with the one they truly loved:</p><p> </p><p>Ink.</p><p> </p><p>Ink was much like the little Inks, in that he seemed to pop up everywhere when they went on a date whenever they were not at school. The artist kept saying that he did not know they would be there... however Error was starting to think:</p><p> </p><p>'*what if ink can love? what if ink does want dream?'</p><p> </p><p>It would explain a lot of Ink's actions during the time they were together.</p><p>Error moves back slightly, reaching up he takes Dream's chin- the golden skeleton blinks and glancing up. Then smiles and closes his orbits, lifting his jaws to met with Error'.</p><p> </p><p>A crack. A loud noise. A giant wave.</p><p> </p><p>And both were soaking wet.</p><p> </p><p>Blinking Error stares at Dream in front of him. The kiss was a miss.</p><p> </p><p>Turning he sees a very large tree branch- no it was not a tree branch, it looked too big to be. It seemed like someone had cut the tree in half and the heavy trunk had fallen in... with a little too much force.</p><p>Standing Error looks up and sees the once lovely tree was indeed in half.</p><p> </p><p>"*What? How did this happen!?" Dream exclaims, frowning deeply.</p><p>"*Greetings. Dream!" Someone says loudly, turning Error blinks at the new skeleton.</p><p> </p><p>Cross.</p><p> </p><p>Because of course, Dream's Knight would come too; another thing, if it was not the Rainbow Inks or Ink himself, it was Cross crashing their dates. </p><p> </p><p>And just behind him, a grinning Ink was spotted. That was new. </p><p> </p><p>"*Cross! Ink! What are you two doing here?!?" Dream questions with delight, forgetting that he was completely soaked in water.</p><p> </p><p>Error looks up again. Carefully studying the truck that had been slashed. Then turns to look back at Cross, who was smiling and blushing at whatever Dream was saying- there was a giant sword on his back...</p><p> </p><p>'*wow. i wonder who it could have been?' Error thinks with a scowl, he was about to call Cross out when someone slid beside him.</p><p>"*Hiya Error!" Ink calls to him, breaking him out of his thoughts, "You're all washed up!"</p><p>"*ink. what are ya doing here?" Error snaps at him, there was something not right about this, he could ignore this no longer, '*like why was ink and cross together?'</p><p>"*Oh! I'm on a date! With Cross!" Ink said very very loudly, causing Dream to glance over at them then looks back to the blushing Cross.</p><p>"*We are on a date too!" Dream calls over to Ink with a tight smile, "However, since our clothes are wet, we may have to end this already."</p><p>"*Really? So. Soon! A. Shame!" Cross said like a robot; saying this as if this was a bad theatre show, "Why. Don't. You. Both. Clean. Up. And. We. Can. Double. Date?"</p><p> </p><p>Error frowns at his words. Then gazes over to the grinning Ink, but his eyelights were red with many different symbols appearing; He must have noticed Cross's bad acting as well... it was kind of hard not to. </p><p> </p><p>The ERROR had already worked out what was happening- Ink indeed was somehow in love with Dream and had enlisted the help of his friend and Knight, Cross, to break them up.</p><p> </p><p>"*That's. A. Great. Idea. Cross. I. Can. Give. Them. New. Dry. Clothes. With. My. Brush." Ink said in the same way Cross had, causing Error to snort loudly, which pleased Ink.</p><p> </p><p>"*Why are you talking like that?" Cross questions, breaking from whatever the script was, "Is there something wrong with you?"</p><p> </p><p>Error caught Ink's socket and they shared a long look- suddenly the artist and the glitch both doubled up laughing.</p><p> </p><p>"*What's so funny?!" Cross growls out, readying his sword for a fight.</p><p>"*calm down idiot." Error snaps regaining control of his senses once he sees the sword out- the silent destroyer then smirks, "ya want the monsters who live here to see us fighting? do ya know what would happen if they did? after all that's happened between me and them?"</p><p>That stopped him, Cross glares but returns his sword to its place.</p><p>"*So Ink..." Dream spoke up, smiling over at his friend, "you mentioned dry clothes?"</p><p>"*I did?" Ink replies in a confused manner, making Error sigh, "Oh! I did! Haha! Come over here!"</p><p>The artist takes out his brush and began a strange dance as he painted with it. Soon to pairs of clothing items were laying out, with a couple of towels.</p><p>Dream gazes and taking the towel he handed it to Cross, "*Could you hold this up while I change?"</p><p>"*Sure!" Cross said eagerly, he took the towel and unfolding it held it high for the golden skeleton to change behind.</p><p> </p><p>Error did not really care who saw him naked and begin to strip down on full view for the world to see. Dream did not notice because he was hidden behind the towel, Cross did not notice because he was looking towards the sky, his skull filled with magic. Ink noticed because he was watching the whole time, even went to help Error bypassing the clothes to him.</p><p>The thing with Error and Ink, both had no fleshly desires, so neither so the problem of undressing under the light of day.</p><p> </p><p>However Error had forgotten an important something, that he did not want Ink to see; the bright blue and green dahlias growing on his spine- it was already too late, he felt the artist's questionable gaze and wondered if he was going to mention it in front of Dream.</p><p> </p><p>Because it was clear now, if he had these flowers, he was in love with someone else other than Dream.</p><p> </p><p>"*not a word rainbow moron." Error hisses as he took the shorts and pulls them on, he noticed just how comfortable they were against his bones, "wait..." he glances over to Dream who was wearing something worthy of a date, "these feel like my glad rags."</p><p>"*Yeah! I know you hate that formal stuff Dream makes you wear!" Ink replies rather loudly and with an innocent smile.</p><p>"*You do not like it?" Dream asks in a small tone, staring right at Error.</p><p>"*...er..." Error says looking lost for a moment, the pair had agreed that they would be honest with each other, "yeah. i don't. i hate that formal stuff ya make me wear. i'd rather on in the nude than wear them."</p><p>With even word, Ink's grin growing bolder and bolder while Dream's expression was getting sadder and sadder.</p><p>"*Oh. Sorry, I put that on you then..." Dream said a little forcefully, he turns to Cross and looks him up and down, "Is that the shirt you asked me about last week? So it was for this date?"</p><p>"*What date?" Cross says confusion for a moment, then looking the insane SOULless expression Ink was given him adds, "YES! That's right... so... does it look good?"</p><p>"*Yes! It looks really good! And it suits you!" Dream continues looking delighted by Cross's words. </p><p> </p><p>Error continues to watch the exchange and he felt nothing. Well... he felt Ink poking him in the spine, trying to raise up his new top to see the flowers blooming.</p><p>"*someday ink. i'll make your life a living hell." Error vows to the grinning skeleton, "i'm getting them removed soon. so stop."</p><p>"*Okay!" Ink laughs happily, he eyes up to the front of the t-shirt that he had given Error proudly, causing the glitch to glance down.</p><p> </p><p>It was a red t-shirt, only it had some words written across the front. Error was a big fan of t-shirts with written messages on them, he had hundreds of them at home; his favourite being a black one with red word:</p><p>[Who are these kids and why are they calling my Dad?]</p><p>Error removes the t-shirt and turns it to face him and read what Ink had put on:</p><p>[ buffering (some monsters have slower connections than others)]</p><p>Error grins. He loved it, it was just as good as the other one Ink gave a couple of weeks ago, that was bright pink and read in blue lettering:</p><p>[I tried to be normal once. Worst two minutes of my life.]</p><p> </p><p>"*thanks ink." Error said with a laugh, he turns it around and put the t-shirt back on. He glances down at the very happy Ink... a little too happy for Error's liking.</p><p>Slowly he turns to look at Dream who looked at him with a sorrowful expression and Cross, who looked ready to kill him- which would not be a surprise, Cross had never liked Error. Suddenly he knew the reason, they had seen his flowers when he had taken off his t-shirt to read it.</p><p>"*So! Are you two still up for that double date!?" Ink asks loudly, looking very pleased with the whole situation, no doubt thinking how amusing the drama between them was.</p><p>Error groans lightly when Dream nods his skull firmly, spun around and marches away, grabbing Cross's hand as he went. This was not how he wanted Dream to discover the flowers. Wanting to sit down and explain they are because of Ink again and that he would remove them.</p><p> </p><p>Ink links arms with Error pushing himself against him then drags him to follow the two skeletons in front- Error had gotten used to his touch thanks to the little Inks, but it still made him glitch slightly.</p><p>Error gazes down at the happy Ink and smiles towards him, perhaps he could play pretend a little more on this date.</p><p> </p><p>This time with Ink.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. The Beloved Arc: Rose</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Rainbow Inks were running around riot through the new house, screaming and laughing at the top of their magic.</p><p>Error stood with crossed arms over his ribs, in the main lobby of the oversized house- no more like a manor, watching the chaos of the overexcited little skeleton unfold in front of him, his face free of emotion.</p><p> </p><p>"*You know Error." Ink said beside him, but a bold grin,"Just a wild guess here, but I think they like it."</p><p>"*whatever gave ya that idea?" Error questions with a smirk, two little Inks rushed passed his legs running into a new part of the manor.</p><p>"*Wild guess." Ink comments proudly, "But do you like it?"</p><p>"*i like it." Error answers with a loving smile, his whole self seemed to relax, he reaches for Ink and pulled him into a slow hug, "thanks for this."</p><p>"*Hahaha! Any time!" Ink laughs returning the hug tightly, not wanting to let go of his 'friend'.</p><p> </p><p>Error did not let go, he merely still in place for a little longer.</p><p> </p><p>Dream had broken up with Error, not because of the dahlias, that happened two years ago-no it was the roses growing on his sternum that the golden skeleton final said he had had enough.</p><p>But what really sealed the deal was Error had lost the pocket watch... which he was not to blame.</p><p>Error had made the mistake of trusting Ink- he had explained why he had the watch, what it meant between him and Dream and why he kept it with him at all times; Ink asked to see the pocket watch up close.</p><p> </p><p>But Ink must have forgotten everything Error had just told him and it's important, because Ink walked over to the window, opened it and posed like a baseball pitcher, then before Error work out what was happening, he threw the pocket watch sending it flying at surprising speed.</p><p> </p><p>While Ink had one hand over his sockets, watching the lovingly crafted pocketwatch get further and further, Error stood open mouth in complete shock.</p><p>When asked why Ink did that, the artist stared blankly at him, claiming it wanted to see time fly.</p><p>Error laughed out loud, then remembered he was angry. He quickly explained to the forgetful Ink that he needed that pocket watch and they both rushed to find it. Neither could find it...</p><p> </p><p>Ink replaced the pocket watch with his own, a pure black one, the front had eight little gems on it, the same colours as his sons. The inside was very colourful, the hands were the same colour as Error's strings.</p><p> </p><p>Error could feel powerful magic pulsing from, stronger than Dream's.</p><p> </p><p>Three weeks later Dream announced he was now dating Cross... Error wished he was more surprised, but since that day in the park Dream and him had nothing but double dates with Ink and Cross, however, he became like he was dating Ink rather than Dream.</p><p> </p><p>After that Error chose to leave the Star Council's universe, moving to his adopted universe with his sons. Error found a clear place on his flower moon, where he and the Inks, lived in tents for a couple of weeks before Ink popped up to say hello.</p><p>Then the artist offered to build them a house Error did not say no- he did not think he would get something so big.</p><p> </p><p>It had everything. Many bedrooms with their own bathrooms, a living area with many sofas, a large dining room, a large kitchen, a giant library, a game room, a large hall for parties. And then there were hobby rooms.</p><p>Each of the Rainbow Inks their own hobby room.</p><p> </p><p>Green Ink got a music room, complete with every musical instrument he wanted, and a soundproof recording booth.</p><p>Orange Ink got a greenhouse a little way from the main manor, along with an empty field for him to do whatever he wanted.</p><p>Purple Ink got a dance hall, with mirrors lining the walls; there was a large CD player with a closet filled with CD from all the things he liked to dance to.</p><p>Red Ink for his own dojo, like with greenhouse, it was outside the main manor. It was equipped with all the training gear.</p><p>Blue Ink got a little office to do his writing just off of the library, which had a little kitchen since the main was on the other side of the manor.</p><p>Lilac Ink got his own darkroom, along with a room to store his photos- it was right next to Blue Ink's office.</p><p>Yellow Ink got a sewing room- it had everything he could ever want, including a catwalk to show off his clothes; his favourite model was Error.</p><p>Pink Ink got his own forging room, again like the other's fully equipped- this too was outside the main manor.</p><p> </p><p>The little Inks did not know how to contain their own excitement and was bouncing off the walls.</p><p> </p><p>Error got his own hobby room too- in the main lobby there was a large staircase that broke off into three, the one leading right ahead had a corridor that leads to a small lobby; this had three double doors. Error's bedroom- it had a walk-in closet for all the wacky t-shirts he loved. Error's bathroom- he hated water and normally washed with mud or dusted coal. And his own little knitting room, complete with a cosy beanie bag.</p><p> </p><p>"Dad!" A little voice calls, the two adults turn in each other's arms to look at the child who spoke, it was Pink Ink the others were staying behind grinning madly, "We're going to move our stuff into own room, so we're going to the tents! Okay?"</p><p>"*okay. see ya all later." Error said with a smile, he watches them vanish into their own puddles of ink.</p><p>"*You smell." Was the first thing Ink told Error as he pulls away and waving a hand in front of his face.</p><p>"*charming as always." Error comments dryly.</p><p>"*Like roses!" Ink went on with a loud laugh.</p><p>"*oh... ok." Error replies rubbing his sternum where a lot of roses were growing inside and out. As on cue, the glitch bends over and vomited blood, filled in with rose petals. Blood drips from his jaws and oddly enough, it felt familiar to have the blood spilling from his mouth so he did not bother to wipe it away.</p><p>"*Error, perhaps you should get that sorted." Ink said with a heavy sigh, "who is it you love this time?"</p><p>"*this time?" Error said spitting out a petal, "its the same cursed monster every time!"</p><p>"*It is? Is it Sci?" Ink questions tilting his skull slightly, then shrug, "anyway, moving on."</p><p>"*i'm cutting them out myself." Error snaps, standing he opens a portal to his new bathroom and marches through, Ink quickly follows.</p><p> </p><p>Error pulls off his black t-shirt with write wording, which reads:</p><p>[I speak fluent sarcasm]</p><p> </p><p>Error through the top to one side and summons a bone. He had not done this in many years but still remembered how he has done this the first few times. Now the monster who could not love him was standing, watching him with interest.</p><p>Error turns to the large mirror and studies the three different colours of roses; Blue, yellow and red, then on the inside were white ones.</p><p> </p><p>"*sat on the side of the tub and hold out ya arms ink." Error told the artist, who he as asked.</p><p> </p><p>Ink sat and watched as the glitch turned to him- the ERROR then dug into his sternum without even a cry of pain, he merely gritted his teeth, grunted and huffed. Soon Error cut out three blood-red roses, their roots bound together, covered in true blood.</p><p>Error takes a step towards Ink and places the roses into the waiting arms.</p><p> </p><p>Silently Error spoke the words in his heart, '*i love you.'</p><p> </p><p>Reaching up with his sharp bone he began digging out more until he had six bloody yellow roses hanging by their roots, he laid them on top of the three.</p><p> </p><p>'*i want to be yours.' Error thought once more, looking at the skeleton who stares back at him without emotion.</p><p> </p><p>Error pauses for a moment, he was a little dizzy from the intent pain but this was nothing compared to other things he went through in life.</p><p> </p><p>The destroyer of worlds again went for the roses with a little more force. It took a little while since these ones were a little deeper.</p><p> </p><p>Seven blue roses were placed on top of the yellow roses.</p><p> </p><p>And Error stared Ink right into his sockets thinking, '*i'm infatuated with you'</p><p> </p><p>After a moment of staring Error went for the remaining roses, the ones growing just inside his ribs, growing off the underside of the sternum.</p><p> </p><p>It seemed to take hours to remove these, but soon he had nine beautiful white roses covered in droplets of blood.</p><p> </p><p>'*my love for you is eternal...' Error thinks finally, laying them carefully into Ink's arms- he was sweating badly, blood was pouring from his sternum.</p><p> </p><p>"*How do you feel Error?" Ink asks softly, remembering that those who remove their flowers lost their emotions for a short time.</p><p>"*ink. can we be together? can ya be my mate?" Error asks emotionlessly, his features were blank as his SOUL readjusts to losing its love.</p><p>"*Huh? What?" Ink questions, bringing the flowers to his chest and hugging them close.</p><p>"*ya a monster who cannot love." Error explains with a dull tone, he points the bloody bone to Ink and then to himself, "and i'm a monster who will never be loved. so let's be mates?"</p><p>"*When you put it like that, we're perfect for each other! Yes! I will be your mate! HAhaha!" Ink said with a laugh, he happily lowers his skull and breathes in the smelt of the roses, "Won't you just fall in love with this monster again? Will you break off from me if this monster somehow falls for you?"</p><p>"*yeah. i will." Error told him plainly, he then drops the bone and went to his knees, "give me your hand."</p><p> </p><p>Ink blinks, clearly confused by this request- still he pushes the roses to his right arm and gave Error his left hand.</p><p>Error gently took the hand into his and kissed it.</p><p> </p><p>"*i once promised dream that i would only leave if he wanted it." Error explains to Ink as he raises a bloody hand to his socket and pulls blue string, his most powerful unbreakable eternal string, "so i'm saying the same to you. this string will only break if you no longer want me. but with this on i will always be yours."</p><p> </p><p>Error carefully wraps the eternal string around Ink's pinky, bounding it gently but he did not tighten it- the destroyer glances up to the artist who was silently watching the whole display.</p><p>Ink realizes that Error was asking for permission and nods his skull, smiling boldly.</p><p>The blue string went tight around Ink's finger and glowed brightly for a moment.</p><p>Ink grin madly raising his hand high to see the string.</p><p> </p><p>"*this is my oath. my promise to you. i am your mate forever. i will never leave your side." Error went on a small smile appearing, "and should the flowers appear. i'll cut them out every time."</p><p>"*...okay..." Ink says softly, his eyelights were changing so many colours and symbols at once, it was sort of hypnotizing, "I want to give you something like a promise too... not that watch. I only made that because you were mad."</p><p>"*just give me you." Error mumbles as he rose to his feet and offered Ink a hand, "i'm tired. i'm going to sleep. want to join me. just put those roses in the tub for now. we'll find a home for them later."</p><p> </p><p>Ink turns slightly and drops the roses into the tub, he then takes the hand, jumping to his feet- he quickly wraps both arms around Error's neck and pulls into in for a bloody kiss.</p><p> </p><p>"*Forever Error." Ink utters to him, resting his chin on the glitch's clavicle closing his sockets- the artist he had drunk lots of paint when showing the little Inks their home, he felt every emotion he drank get eaten up from Error's proposal.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. The Beloved Arc: Aster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error wiggles madly in the hold, glitching taking over his bones so much that it was hard to even see him- Ink had wrapped himself from behind the ERROR, his legs around his middle and hooked his feet into Error's pelvis and his arms around his ribs, also trapping Error's arms alongside him.</p><p> </p><p>Ink was leaning forward, rubbing his cheekbone against Error's, whispering words of love.</p><p> </p><p>Still, the glitch fought against the artist; he was trying to get to his screaming sons. Their agonizing filled the whole manor.</p><p>A part of Error knew that Ink could not feel true feelings, but in his panicked filled mind, he could not understand why his mate was allowing this to happen.</p><p> </p><p>"*Shh. Error its okay. They're going to be okay!" Ink tells him calmly, the fact that he was grinning boldly while bloody screams were echoing off the walls did not help.</p><p> </p><p>Error blinks through the ERROR floaters, trying to calm himself before he was crashing again- he wanted to go through the pain with them so when he noticed the shows of their bone-breaking, the next stage of their life cycle, he had left the pink asters growing on him.</p><p>It had been only three years since the roses, which was shocking, the flowers seemed to be growing faster and faster; the first thirteen times there had been a huge time gap between them appearing.</p><p> </p><p>This might be because Ink had completely moved in with him, they always seemed to be together.</p><p>Error huffs loudly, he allows himself to fall back into Ink's strong hold on him- the flowers were all over him and were very painful, he was vomiting all the time with petals coming out. But still, he refused to remove them.</p><p> </p><p>Blinking Error realizing the pain-filled screaming had stopped.</p><p> </p><p>"*ink...?" Error asks his mate, who slowly let his go. Standing up on the sofa he and Error were seated on, he walks around and came to Error's front.</p><p>"*Yeah, it's over now. The Inks are now teenagers! Yay!" Ink cries out cheerfully making Error grin at him, even if he could not see him.</p><p>"*i want to see them." Error said raising himself up off the sofa, he wobbles slightly, if he had been a normal monster, he would have been dead by now; instead, he began to walk like the flowers were a part of him and the disease was not slowly killing him.</p><p> </p><p>Ink took Error's hand and helped him without caring that his mate would want no help. He merely grins at the dark glitchy growl he receives.</p><p>Soon the pair stood in front of the room chosen to be their ageing room- the Rainbow Inks had wanted to do this together.</p><p>Error's sockets were finally free of the ERROR signs and he stares eagerly at the door.</p><p> </p><p>Slowly it opens and Blue Ink and Lilac Ink step out together, grinning boldly- they were still the image of Ink, however, they were now a few inches shorter than him.</p><p> </p><p>The new teenager was covered in sweat and a slight ooze which not doubt the liquid bone that had poured out from the marrow, covering their child's bones. Under their sockets were dark rings, but they seemed proud of their growth.</p><p>They wandered over to Error where he hugs them to him, the pair curls themselves under his arms happily.</p><p> </p><p>Then Ink leads them over to a sofa that had been prepared, besides these seats that large water bowls and towel, ready for them to wash down.</p><p>The pair move away and Error follows them to the sofa and waits for them to sit before he heads back to the front of the door.</p><p> </p><p>Yellow Ink stepped out alone, smiling happily towards his father. Again, looking just like Ink it was always scary. The Inks all that vest and shorts the same colour as their SOUL, it had been left next to them as they made the change.</p><p> </p><p>Error hugs his son and half wonders why he came out alone, then like the first pair, walks him over to a sofa- Ink helps Error help Yellow Ink.</p><p> </p><p>Then the two mates went back to stand by the door. Out came Red Ink and Orange Ink, their eyelights glowing, pleased at the change. It was then Error noticed a different- Red Ink was an inch short than Orange Ink.</p><p>Error blinks and turns to Ink, either he did not notice or did not care.</p><p> </p><p>Shaking his skull, he goes to hug his sweaty sons and once more help them to sit down, moving the water and towels closer to them.</p><p> </p><p>With a heavy sigh Error holds back the bloody vomit he felt building within, he did not ruin it as Ink had done on one of their parties- the artist had vomited black ink all over the cake, while it was funny to watch, the guests were not amused.</p><p>Error hurries over to the door, he waits a little longer, he could hear soft talking on the other side. Ink went with him, holding his arm carefully so he did not fall, crashing some of the flowers while he was at it.</p><p> </p><p>Green Ink and Pink Ink exited the room. And both Error and Ink just stare.</p><p> </p><p>Green Ink was the same size as Red Ink, an inch shorter than the rest. But Pink Ink was a couple of inches taller than the rest, making him almost the same size as the Ink himself- and the next stage into adulthood when that happens in the future meant he was going to get taller.</p><p> </p><p>Error snorts loudly, earning him a gentle elbow to his ribs and a mock glare from his mate.</p><p> </p><p>Error repeats his actions, holding out his arms and letting them in for a hug. He wanted to make sure he did this now because soon they might no longer want hugs from their father.</p><p>The glitch leads the grinning pair over to the sofa, and had them sit them- Ink was by Error's side the whole way. Error felt it was a father's duty to be by their side while they went through this.</p><p>Because this would be the first time, they should have already gone through this process however they had been in the labs when they went from babe to child. And he was worried that their artificial SOULs might be a worry. But they all seemed fine, he would CHECK them later.</p><p> </p><p>Error leaves the childr- no, the teens to wash down and went back to the door. The last one. And the one he worries about the most.</p><p> </p><p>Purple Ink was slightly weaker than the others; he had died by accident some years ago and Error had to bound his SOUL with his eternal strings to save him. After that, the child would sometimes glitch and if overly emotional, tearmarks would appear on his white cheekbones.</p><p> </p><p>"*what's taken him so long?" Error asks the 'queen' who merely shrugs a reply, making the glitch roll his eyelights. But he knew it was not Ink's fault, the Inks had cut off their minds to their Queen to not cause him any pain and so that he could aid Error.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly he appears, Error smiles brightly... which slowly drops. Even Ink's socket widens at Purple Ink's appearance.</p><p> </p><p>No longer was his white boned, every bone on display and through his purple vest and shorts, the father and mother would only see black- even the ink stains could not be seen. There were also glitches, much smaller in size as Error's, there were also little ERROR signs littering parts of his form.</p><p><br/>The teen's fingers were different colours, the tips were yellow and the centre of the phalanges was purple- before returning to that true black. Running down his cheekbones were purple 'tearmarks', brighter than they had ever been, although on his right cheek, it looked like they were cut off and Error remembers that when the markings showed themselves, they always looked like they went under the ink stain.</p><p> </p><p>Another thing. He was tall... in fact, he was the same size as Ink now.</p><p> </p><p>Purple Ink looks towards his brothers and then to his father, tears filling his sockets as he thought he might not be welcomed home by his father since he no longer looked like the Queen, the one father loved most.</p><p> </p><p>Error raises his arms to his son, a bold smile on his jaws.</p><p> </p><p>Purple Ink hurries over and hugs his father tightly. Then Error turns with Purple Ink still under his arms and took him over to the sofas, where he sat him down and pushes the water and towels nearer, just as he had done with the rest.</p><p> </p><p>"*i still want sci to give ya all a check over." Error told them firmly, they all bow their skulls, they seem to hate Sci Sans, one of Error oldest trusted friend and ally, "i might be as good as sci. but i'm ya father and i'm more likely to worry over something, making me not think clearly."</p><p>"*And you will be going to Sci too!" Ink informs Error with a tight smile, his eyelights going red, "those flowers have to go now. I understood you wanted to go through pain alongside your sons, but as your mate, I have to think of your wellbeing."</p><p>"*fine." Error answers with a soft smile, he goes closer to his artist and leans against him, with shut orbits he mumbles on top of his skull, "i love ya ink."</p><p> </p><p>Ink smiles brightly at his word, which vanishes when Error crashes due to the intent pain from the lovely asters growing all over his breaking bones.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. The Beloved Arc: Iris</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ink was laughing wildly as he ran across the new universe they found themselves in, behind him Error chases him like crazy, shouting threats and murder- it only made the artist laugh harder.</p><p>Blooming from the top of Error's skull, were iris, they grew upwards and drooped slightly, but now as he ran, they were drawn backward with the force.</p><p> </p><p>In Ink's arms was Sci Sans bridal style; the scientist was glancing over the artist's shoulder frowning slightly with his arms across his chest.</p><p>Error was meant to have his flowers taken out today, however, plans had changed.</p><p> </p><p>The ERROR had discovered the truth.</p><p> </p><p>And he was not happy.</p><p> </p><p>After Ink had sat him down and had a heart to heart talk, he revealed some startling news.</p><p> </p><p>As he came to terms with everything Ink had told him, he went on a rampage across the multiverse, thankfully he was in his right mind enough to only attack those on his waiting list- which amounted to over six hundred since he had taken a long break of destroying worlds to see what would happen.</p><p>The worlds he was meant to destroy began glitching, some crashing and others lagging- these grew out and cause neighbouring universes; in turn proving Error's point that these universes must be deleted from the multiverse.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, it was not the truth about his job that made his enraged- it was the fact that his best friend, dearest ally, who was almost like a brother to him, Sci Sans had been the true leader of the Red Echo.</p><p> </p><p>Sci Sans had taken the one he loved and broke him to pieces for years. Locked up the little Inks in tanks. And taken his <em>flowers</em> to craft their SOUL essences.</p><p> </p><p>Yes, the SOUL essence that was inside the Rainbow Inks were made from Error's flowers, who he had entrusted to Sci Sans.</p><p> </p><p>Red Ink's SOUL was made from Error's red daisies.</p><p> </p><p>Yellow Ink had been formed from the yellow daffodils that almost killed him.</p><p> </p><p>Pink Ink's SOUL used his pink tulips</p><p> </p><p>Green Ink came from the carnations.</p><p> </p><p>Orange Ink's SOUL essences the sunflowers</p><p> </p><p>Purple Ink's flowers that made him his SOUL were the hydrangea- now Error understood why it felt like his own SOUL.</p><p> </p><p>Blue Ink was made from freesias that Error had hated so much.</p><p> </p><p>Lilac Ink's SOUL essences were made... from the lilac...</p><p> </p><p>Sci Sans believed that were was a link between SOUL essences and the flowers that appear from a hopeless love- since monsters were made of love and magic, it kind of made sense. However, he could not get approval from his King to study SOUL essences and the flowers.</p><p> </p><p>So he had taken matters into his own hands.</p><p> </p><p>Error understood, he was a scientist himself, it did not excuse the fact that his friend went behind his back and did all this. He would have given his own bones, his flowers, even his own SOUL essences itself.</p><p>To make matters worse, when Error had ended many universes and was ready to confront Sci, Ink was were waiting for him.</p><p> </p><p>This caused Error to fly into an unstoppable rage and rushed at them both.</p><p> </p><p>Which was what lead the artist to run from universe to universe, trying to help the one who caused him so much pain- but Ink grew that if Error killed Sci, he would regret it for the rest of his existence.</p><p>Error let out a static noise that neither could understand, it was clear he was still shouting at them.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly the sound of something heavy hit the ground, making Ink halt in his tracks and look behind- it seemed Error had a might crash. The glitching and lags were so great that it had overtaken his whole body.</p><p> </p><p>Ink lets Sci down and hurries over to his mate, bending behind him.</p><p> </p><p>Error blinks- all he could see were ERROR signs, all he could hear was a static roar, all he would smell was the irises growing, all he could taste was the mud he fell into and all he could feel was his body being pulled apart by his own glitches.</p><p> </p><p>He felt someone touch his back, he knew who it was. Ink always pokes him lightly before placing his whole hand on him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. The Beloved Arc: Orchid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The orchids growing on the upper part of the thoracic of Error's spine made it hard to put any clothes on- normally the glitch never did care if he crushed the flowers or not with his clothes, however, orchids were a lot different from the others he had ever grown.</p><p> </p><p>Orchids were known to be linked straight to the SOUL and were one of the hardest flowers to remove from the patients.</p><p> </p><p>If anyone grew these flowers it was always a 50% 50% chance of survival. The patient, meaning Error, had to be very careful about how he treated them.</p><p> </p><p>They were the colour of blood- red orchids symbolize passion and desire, strength and courage.</p><p> </p><p>They started growing not long after Dream's wedding was announced and had grown fast; which lead Ink to ask if Error had fallen for the golden skeleton- Ink got a snap to the skull for that.</p><p>Error stares at himself in the full-length mirror, turning slightly now and again, the orchids like the calla lilies of so many centuries ago, started to look like red wings that came off of his spine.</p><p> </p><p>"*am i really going to a wedding dressed like this?" Error asks his mate, who was sitting on the bed watching the glitch.</p><p>"*You look great Error! And don't worry! I already explained everything to Dream!" Ink told him with a wide smile.</p><p> </p><p>Error raised a brow, it was not like one of his normal smiles. But the ERROR said nothing and looks to the mirror.</p><p>Error was wearing a long sleeveless dark blue and white dress that came up his front covering all his ribs, manubrium and the centre part of his clavicle and went up further in a high collar that wrapped around his cervical vertebrae; and while it covered his front completely, his back was exposed.</p><p><br/>It was not just open around the flowers, it went all the way down to the lower part of his lumbar. It was tight around the ribs but once pass the hips it flowed loosey, the bottom was white and as it went up, the seemed to break off into little stars which stopped around the middles where there were only a few dotted here and there.</p><p>Error was grateful that he had his flat sandals on, Yellow Ink had tried to make him wear these three inched heels but was shocked to discover that the normally graceful glitchy skeleton could not stand in them.</p><p>It was for the best really, Ink already felt like a shorty, if Error wore the heels then he could appear much taller than him... and he would never tell anyone that he faked not being any to stand in them for his mate's sake.</p><p> </p><p>Another thing about going to Dream's wedding with his flowers on full display was that the whole multiverse knew that Error and Ink were together. Of course, there had been a huge uproar and backlash when the news of them together first went about, because Error was once again 'The Destroyer'.</p><p> </p><p>Ink stood his ground and gave this heartwarming speech in front of the Council and millions of monsters, on how much he loved Error and explained that the glitch's 'job' was for the good of the universes.</p><p>Ink went on to say how everyone had forgiven Nightmare and his group, the Charas and Frisks who murdered so many- if they were willing to give these a chance if they could do that, why was Error not worthy of their forgiveness?</p><p> </p><p>"*can't i have a thin cape or something?" Error asks finally with a sigh, there was another reason why he did want to go to this wedding.</p><p>"*Why? You look great! The flowers look good too!" Ink says, he was already dressed in a fancy black suit, the vials on his chest stood out because of this, he was also allowed to wear his brown scarf.</p><p> </p><p>Error gazes at the flowers... the reason was that Ink had given such a good speech on how much he loved the ERROR, that when they see the flowers, they will think Error does not love the artist in return. Most do not know of Ink's SOULless state and is not able to truly love anything.</p><p> </p><p>... it made him look very bad...</p><p> </p><p>Error grins suddenly and spinning around he marches over to his mate, who stood when he noticed him coming. The glitch took the artist in his arms and hugs him tightly.</p><p> </p><p>Then he suddenly remembers Sci was coming and while Ink was acting as the Best Man to Cross- Blue was Best Man for Dream- and the scientist would be seated next to him.</p><p>He had already decided that after the wedding he needed to talk with Sci... it was going to be hard for him.</p><p> </p><p>Ink had not cared about how he was broken to pieces, he had forgiven Sci and claims that Error should forgive him too... which he did...after Ink gave such a long-winded speech for Error to be forgiven, the same applied to Sci...</p><p> </p><p>And at first, he was worried about not finding someone as good as Sci to remove the orchids- which should have been removed as soon as they were identified as orchids. But he left them to grow. If he let Sci remove the flowers, it would show that he had truly forgiven him.</p><p>Error's mind went to his other flowers; the roses how grew around the manor Ink built for them. The yellow roses were at the front and the blue at the back, which was in view of Error's bedroom window. The white ones were taken away since Ink did not like how white they were. They grow a little distance away, alongside the red ones.</p><p> </p><p>The irises were planted on the other side of his flower moon, they left a bad reminder to him and he did not want to view them. Ink kept pointing out that they were still lovely.</p><p>Ink pokes his shoulder, getting him to move away from him.</p><p> </p><p>"*Ready to go? I don't think Dream or Cross will be happy with me being late!" Ink said with a small laugh, "It's okay Error."</p><p>"*you know i love ya right?" Error told his mate as he moves further back.</p><p> </p><p>Ink merely blinks questions marks filling both sockets, one yellow the other pink, the artist then smiles happily.</p><p> </p><p>"*Thank you!" Ink said to his mate because that was the only thing he could say without lying. There was no way he would insult Error by saying 'I love you' back.</p><p> </p><p>Error grins at him, lean down and places his teeth against Ink's, who was more than 'happy' to return the small kiss.</p><p> </p><p>"*...Error I want a big wedding too!" Ink declares pulling away from his mate, "Error?" the artist stares and laughs, Error had crashed at his words, the glitch thought he heard a few words beyond the static, "Well...you love me a little. At least I'm the one that has you."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. The Beloved Arc: Lilium</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error while ribs was covered in lilies. These lilies were called Stargazer Lilies... and he loved the name. They were dark pink with white lining and darker dots of pink. They had a strong fragrance that carried everywhere he went.</p><p> </p><p>Error had been proven right once again with the orchids, everyone had been talking about his flowers- the look of hate and disgust in their eyes was clear to see. Ink stayed by his side whenever he could however since he was in such high demand, others kept calling him away.</p><p>So Error had spent his time dancing with his sons the Rainbow Ink. And ... the grim reaper, Reaper's mate Geno, who kept growling at him. Goth, who was Reaper's oldest son and from another Geno before the current one; Goth had taken a real liking to Error. Some of Reaper's sons from his second Geno- Error found out that like him, Geno only had a small piece of SOUL, so unlike a normal skeleton monster, Geno could only have one child at a time, when it was common for skeletons to have between two to nine at a time.</p><p> </p><p>Fresh had appeared then causing Error to growl, the virus pops up every few years merely to annoy him, he was sure. The nineties nightmare put him into a fast dance, blasting out music from his own boombox, which had become louder than wedding's songs playing.</p><p> </p><p>And lastly Sci... it had been hard but after chatting with him for a time, Error managed to renew their friendship. And told Sci that he must never do anything like that again- at least without telling him first. To which Sci agreed happily.</p><p> </p><p>Then Sci went over to his own mate, #13. This did not take Error by surprise, the pair had been on and off together for many years.</p><p> </p><p>Error grins boldly. He was going to be wearing nothing but his cosy shorts for his <em>own</em> wedding. The shorts were black with blue strings running up the sides in crosses- then he had his blue scarf wrapped around his waist.</p><p>And by now, he really did not care with others think, fed up with trying to get into everyone's good books. It was not going to happen and Error would rather have a few true friends rather than a million of false ones.</p><p>Error spun around and shortcuts out of the tent, he appears before a small crowd of monsters. He nods to his darkly dressed friend- Nightmare was Error's Best Man while Dream and Blue were Maids of Honour because Ink wanted to wear a dress, meaning they had to wear a dress whether they liked it or not.</p><p>So this made Error believe he was wearing a dress for the sole sake of pranking Dream and Blue- the pair rarely wore dresses. Dream had not one of during his own, he had a white and gold suit, and Error thought that Cross too would wear a suit... no Cross came out in a long trailing wedding dress that shone with little crystals that were embedded into it.</p><p>Error and Ink's wedding was being held on Error's flower moon, surrounded by his flowers that he had been growing for many hundreds of years.</p><p> </p><p>The air was filled with this sweet-smelling aroma, and because the flowers were formed by the true love of the SOUL, the whole area filled to be pulsing with love.</p><p>Of course call of love will never reach the one without a SOUL, because of one with a SOUL was able to sense it.</p><p> </p><p>Error did not see a point to a wedding like this, it was such a human thing to do. But with his mate loving being the centre of attention, it made sense that he wanted an over the top wedding.</p><p>And of course Error had already vowed forever to Ink when he gave him his string on his little finger and a couple of years ago Ink gave him something in return...</p><p> </p><p>Ink wanted to put something on the same finger, something that was a part of him, like Error's strings were a part of him- So Ink's idea: He vomited ink out of his mouth and painted the whole of Error's little finger, while infusing his magic into it, making it permanent ink.</p><p> </p><p>It was blacker than Error's skull, making his skull look like a dull black whenever his pinky was near it.</p><p> </p><p>Error had not been impressed at first. He had screamed and shouted at how gross it was. But warmed to it later on. Again, it went have been one of Ink's pranks, but he really did not care at Ink's words...</p><p> </p><p>Until he realized those words sounded oddly familiar- then it came back to him, the words Ink used were from a scene in 'Finding Nemo', where one of the fish claims to able to remember more when with the other fish.</p><p> </p><p>"*<em>i raised eight bratlings ink! ya really think that i wouldn't be subjected to watching cartoon</em>?!" Error had said at the time, making Ink laugh so hard he fell on the ground and actually rolled.</p><p> </p><p>Error smiles at the memory- suddenly the music plays and his sons began walking towards him, they all wore the same dresses in their own colours and in their hands, they held onto the flowers that their SOULs was made from.</p><p>Soon the eight took their places at the ends and the music changed- Ink came walking down, grinning boldly, both eyes blazing yellow suns and stars and Error wondered how much of that paint he drunk.</p><p> </p><p>This was the first Error seen the dress.</p><p> </p><p>It was short and black- then it had a transparent gown wrapped around it, falling to the ground and dragging behind; this gown was all the colours of the rainbow. Wrapping around Ink's middle and keeping the gown in place, was Ink's brown scarf- it was tied into a bow on the back. Like Error, Ink had bare feet.</p><p>Soon Ink was staring in front of Error grinning like mad and the glitch returns the artist mad grin with his own.</p><p> </p><p>Ink lifts up his left hand and wiggles his little string covered finger. Snorting Error did the same with his ink-covered one.</p><p> </p><p>The first thing Error had requested for Ink to do when he came down, was to remove the flowers- because it was thought that only the one they were meant for could remove the flowers without harm. Even if the person loved them or not, they could remove them- the flowers were might to either return to the SOUL if their love was realized or rot away in the hands. Even way, it was the most painful way, most did not want to reveal themselves, so not many went to the one they loved. </p><p> </p><p>And Error wanted to everyone to see just how much he loved Ink.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. The Beloved Arc: Gladiolus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The gladioluses grow upwards, out the back of his lumbar, following up his spine and fanned out like a peacock- there was an array of different colours.</p><p> </p><p>Ink loved the look- he also loved removing the flowers and helping Error plant them on their flower moon home.</p><p> </p><p>That was what the artist was currently doing. Ink was sitting on his knees with Error in front, the pair were sitting on their wooden deck that was far from their manor home- this deck overlooked the Stargazer Lilies from their wedding ten years ago.</p><p>Error realizes the flowers bloom every few years- after they were removed, it took his body a couple of years to recover and they new ones appeared but did not show for another couple more years, to which the glitch allowed them to bloom fully in his bones before having Ink deflower him.</p><p>Error grins at something Ink said, he was stargazing and knitting while his mate removes the flowers; Ink had grown used to doing this and could do it in his sleep by now.</p><p> </p><p>"*Are you still sulking Error?" Ink asks after a moment of calm silence passed between them- he leans around the flowers and looks his mate in the face.</p><p>Error's grin drops and he pouts.</p><p> </p><p>"*I take that as yes." Ink says with a loud laugh and pulls himself up behind Error again, "Come one Error, it's not like they're dead!"</p><p>"*i miss them..." Error moans out sadly, causing Ink to laugh again.</p><p>"*They are adults now! Have been for a while now!" Ink told him firmly, but there was still that amusement in his tone, "I shocked they stayed as long as they did, they always seemed eager to go and see new sights and stuff!"</p><p>Error remains silent- The Rainbow Inks were fully grown are had moved out of their family home to universes of their own choice, they came to visit once a week since moving out four months ago.</p><p>"*...i kind of want another one..." Error admits to his mate, he hears a questioning 'mmm', "i want a child."</p><p>"*What?! I only just got rid of the last lot and you want another one?!" Ink said loudly and happily; but Error knew that was only because of the yellow paint he was always drinking, there was a shock in his voice as well.</p><p> </p><p>The artist stops his task of removing the flowers.</p><p>"*yeah. only one. i think my body can handle only one. you can't because you don't have a soul." Error points out with a growl, he wiggles a little for Ink to continues on.</p><p>"*No." Ink said with a laugh.</p><p>"*no?" Error snaps the question ready to turn and slap the artist.</p><p>"*I only just got you all to myself! I don't want to have to share you again!" Ink replies in a delighted tone, he then starts his task again when he notices Error's back tensing.</p><p> </p><p>Error blinks at those words- he thought about it.</p><p> </p><p>Yes. This would be the first time he and Ink lived together alone, not counting the sleepover the Inks had with their friends or when the Inks took the week holidays now and again, without them.</p><p>And everything they did, the Inks were including with them. But it was not just fun, it was very fun. The time he spent with his mate and sons would no doubt stay with him forever.</p><p>Error casts his mind back to before the Inks entered his life, the moments when he was just friends with Ink, longing for something more.</p><p>And now he had it.</p><p>Error blinks again.</p><p>Ink belonged to him. He belonged to Ink. They were mates.</p><p>Error smiles happily- the last flower was removed and for a split second he felt nothing. No emotions.</p><p><br/>And he glitches <em>hard</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly all the emotion came rushing back causing him to crash.</p><p> </p><p>"*You okay there Error?" Came Ink's soft voice, it was sound to hear the normally loud skeleton like that.</p><p> </p><p>Error looks up blankly, his skull was resting on Ink's femurs. Ink was running a hand down his crown. The artist that moved them onto a double-seated garden chair, Error had his knees draw up since he could not fit on it fully.</p><p> </p><p>Error felt love towards Ink he realizes.</p><p> </p><p>"*i think there's a flaw in my code?" Error told his mate, who tilts his skull in question and question marks appear in his sockets, wanting for the glitch to continues, "i can still feel my love."</p><p>Ink frowns at this.</p><p> </p><p>"*...you still love that monster?" Ink asks a little dully, frowning deeply now.</p><p>This made Error frown: '*i told ink he was the monster i love before right?' he thinks while trying to remember, 'ink must have forgotten...'</p><p>Error sighs and sits up, he glances towards gladioluses that were in the basket ready to be planted.</p><p>'*whatever. i'll just have to keep telling him.' Error thought with a smile, leaning toward his beloved mate he kisses him lightly.</p><p> </p><p>Ink grins at his actions and kisses back. The pair spent a few moments just enjoying the feel of each other's magic before they pulled away.</p><p> </p><p>"*About a kid..." Ink said looking him in the socket, "If you really want another one, ask me again in another 1000 years."</p><p>"*heh. i'll hold ya to that." Error told him, gripping his love's lower jaw, "don't think i won't."</p><p> </p><p>Ink just laughs and leans back against the back of the garden chair. Error sat up fully and bought his legs around and places them on the ground, he then leans to Ink's side and cuddles against him.</p><p> </p><p>"*i love you ink." Error mumbles, sticking to his plan of reminding the artist again and again- he really did not care that this Hanahaki Disease was going to be with his forever.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. The Beloved Arc: Violet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>-1209 years later-</strong>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>"*are you a complete moron?" Error snaps at his mate then lean over to vomit a bit of blood and violet petals.</p><p> </p><p>Catching his breath the ERROR raises his skull, uncaring that the blood was dripping from his chin- he glares at the dumb skeleton who was staring at him in utter confusion.</p><p> </p><p>Error and Ink had been moving some of Error's flowers from the original flower moon to the smaller moons that circled the broken planet since the original flower moon was completely filled.</p><p>Today they were moving only the yellow roses- the sheer amount already filled half of the small rock that orbited the broken planet.</p><p> </p><p>"*I don't understand?" Ink admits with a grin, there was sweat forming when the glitch growls darkly.</p><p>"*what don't ya understand?" Error asks with a heavy sigh, he brings a hand up to his skull and rubs his sockets.</p><p>"*Well... the flowers... they're just part of your code right?" Ink questions but he was starting to sound unsure of himself.</p><p>"*no. you forgot?" Error says letting his hand drop and watch his artist nod with a small smile.</p><p>Error studies his mate for a moment, wondering just how much was forgotten, how much did he need to explain.</p><p>"*...haven't you always had these flowers?" Ink asks suddenly nodding towards the yellow roses in his arms, he quickly bends down and places them on the ground.</p><p>"*no... these flowers started growing about 900 years after i first met ya." Error said with a frown, he felt a little uneasy when the question marks in Ink's sockets appeared.</p><p>"*'First met'? Error hadn't we always been together!" Ink said firmly, he grabs the end of his scarf and brings it up, hunting through some of his notes.</p><p>"*...no... do ya not remember when we first met? when we first became mates?" Error asks quickly, walking closer to his Ink, taking hold of both shoulders in his hands and looking the artist in the sockets, trying to tell if he was pranking him or not.</p><p>"*I don't! I can't remember a time without you by my side!" Ink said carefully, he knew his mate well, he knew when his glitch was checking to see if this was a joke.</p><p><br/>Ink knew when to own up or take it to the next level, most of all, he knew when he had to say that he was not joking, this was normally very important topic- like when Error came to him two hundred years ago and asked if they could have a child. In the end, Error claimed that they could wait a little more; Ink made sure to write it down.</p><p> </p><p>"*I thought the flowers were just a part of your code. A part of being Error. How you were made. But you just mentioned they're not..." Ink continues on, looking a little lost now.</p><p>Error stares in complete shock. He pulls away from his mate and looks around, trying to think where to begin.</p><p>"*ok. so these flowers are called hanahaki disease." Error began pointing towards where the violets growing on his sternum, hidden under his shirt, "when a monster loves another monster and that love can't be returned, their soul begins to form flower on their bodies. depending on what way the monsters fall in love."</p><p>"*Wow! Really?!" Ink said excitedly, looking at the flowers with more interest.</p><p>"*if a monster does not remove the flowers. they can die from them." Error goes on, making Ink looks to his in disbelief, "to get rid of them. they have to confess their feelings. don't matter or its a yes or no. yes. and the love will return to the monster's soul. no. and that love will die. and the flowers should fall to dust."</p><p> </p><p>Then was silence for a moment, Error allowing for the words to sink into Ink's skull.</p><p> </p><p>"i can handle the flowers. in fact. i think it's like ya said." Error continues after Ink nods to him, "it might be a part of my code now... anyway. there's another way- forcefully remove them. when the flowers are removed this way the monster loses all love for the one they loved. and for a short time. lose their emotions."</p><p> </p><p>Ink held onto his vitals tightly.</p><p> </p><p>"*i don't anymore. for whatever glitching reason. i continue to feel love for my loved one." Error told him intently, staring him right into the sockets, "it never used to be this way. i used to feel nothing towards them after and went even to hate them."</p><p>"*Wow... wow... Error who is this monster you love so much?" Ink questions yet he appears a little unhappy, even while smiling happily.</p><p>"*it's you ya moron!" Error snaps at him, glaring at him, "i love ya so much that i willingly grew these flowers for millenniums! i love ya so much that i'm willing to puke blood for ya! my soul understands that ya can never truly love me back. that's why it won't stop even if we're together! but i still want to be with ya anyway! even if it hurts!"</p><p> </p><p>As on cue Error double over and vomits a stream of blood- he drops to his knees from the dizziness that came with this- these were lots of violet petals this time, he needed to remove them tonight.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly Ink drops down in front of him, his knees going straight into the blood- he smiles brightly at Error and holds up a yellow rose with one hand, that he had been carrying not long ago.</p><p> </p><p>Error watches as Ink uses his other hand to grab the whole flower head and rip it away from the stem.</p><p>Error felt a strange static begin to form, his soul started to ache at what this could mean...</p><p> </p><p>Then Ink ate the rose petals whole...swallowing them down hard.</p><p> </p><p>"*...ya really are a moron..." Error says with a small snort, then he sees the look on Ink's face, "don't ya dare."</p><p> </p><p>Ink grabs hold of Error's shoulders, much like he had done to him moments ago, however, the artist uses them to lift himself up to lean over the ERROR slightly- then Ink just proceeded to vomit a waterfall of ink from his jaws, letting all the yellow rose petals return as well. </p><p>Error sat there for a moment, given the proud looking Ink a death glare... suddenly he notices the bright yellow rose petal against the black ink that covered his front- and realized that Ink was mimicking the blood vomiting petals, trying to declare his <em>love</em> like Error had always done.  </p><p> </p><p>"*ya rainbow moron." Error snarls darkly but blinks back a tear, causing Ink to laugh as he flattens himself against his mate, letting the ink soak further into both their clothes.</p><p>"*I love you Error!" Ink announces to his mate, making Error grin at the lie, he closes his sockets and lets himself believe it.</p><p>"*i love ya too ink!" Error told his beloved artist, "now and forever."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>END.</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. The Beloved Arc: Boneus Chapter And Thank You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Question: Why does everyone love Error?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Big thank you to all my readers! I hope you all enjoyed it!</p><p> </p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p>"It is even said that monster SOULs are made of love, hope, and compassion. Monsters are by far weaker than humans, both in physical combat and regarding the strength of their SOUL. This inadequacy is because monsters are mostly made of magic, which in turn makes them attuned to their SOUL."</p><p> </p><p>~ <em>Undertale Wiki</em></p><p> </p><p>"The Hanahaki Disease is an illness born from one-sided love, where the patient throws up and coughs up flower petals when they suffer from one-sided love. The infection can be removed through surgery, but the feelings disappear along with the petals."</p><p> </p><p>~ <em>idk</em></p><p> </p><p>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Deep in his SOUL a love so strong takes control- Error' deep love has no place to go, so forms into the disease known as hanahaki.</p><p>A flower grows on his body. Which was never meant to happen, flowers normally stay in the chest and throat area. And the highest a monster has grown during their lifetime is three times. With only two kinds of different coloured flowers growing at the same time.</p><p>Keep in mind, this is a disease. Diseases grow, spread and get stronger with time- so what about someone who lives forever?</p><p> </p><p>The disease is going to mutate.</p><p> </p><p>What kind of mutation?</p><p> </p><p>Since all monster's SOUL are made from love- and Error flowers are creating an airborne scent. Anyone monster that smells Error's scent for a lengthen time, will fall head over heels in love with him. And not just him, they can fall in love with others other than Error if they spent some time with them after breathing in the flowers.</p><p>In other words, Error is no longer an ERROR but a VIRUS.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Extra #1: Rainbows</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Its been two hundred years since he last since his son. Error is met with a surprise when they return for a family reunion.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Error felt his socket twitch.</p><p> </p><p>Ink beside him grins.</p><p> </p><p>They were home on Flower Moon, as it was dubbed, outside their manor house, waiting by the large front doors.</p><p>The Rainbow Inks were coming home for a visit, all eager to see their beloved father.</p><p>Which Rainbow Ink had their eyelights that colour they were named after Green, Red, Yellow, Pink, Orange, Blue, Lilac and Purple. Other than their clothes, seven out of eight was the image of Ink.</p><p> </p><p>And Error had been looking forward to his beloved sons...</p><p> </p><p>However...</p><p> </p><p>Each Rainbow Ink had brought with them their own mate. ... and each pair had their own offspring.</p><p>Green Ink and his mate had four little skullies and three shins.</p><p>Red Ink and his mate had five lesser skeletons, three skullies and three shins.</p><p>Yellow Ink and his mate had two lesser skeletons, four skullies and one shin.</p><p>Pink Ink and his mate had ten lesser skeletons, nine skullies and twelve shins.</p><p>Orange Ink and his mate had one lesser skeleton, one skully, and four shins.</p><p>Blue Ink and his mate had one lesser skeleton, two skullies and two shins.</p><p>Lilac and his mate had one lesser skeleton, one skully and two shins.</p><p>Purple Ink who looked a lot like Error, and his mate had twenty lesser skeletons, twenty-five skullies and thirty-three shins.</p><p> </p><p>It was pure chaos on their doorstep.</p><p> </p><p>"*Whoa! I see you lot have been busy in the past two hundred years since we last saw you." Ink, at last, says something, grinning boldly at his grinning clones who all looked very proud of themselves.</p><p>"*welcome home." Error manages to get out and that was all the Rainbow Inks needed for them to rush their father with a hug.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Skeleton 101:</p><p>'Brewing' the skeleton term for pregnant (*1):</p><p>Before brewing skeletons choice a mate to breed with (most skeletons mate for life)- a tiny soulings will appear on the 'mother's' SOUL and lives under the surface for five months (*2); during this time the soulings can easily die and return to the mother's magic. There are a few signs but it rather hard to be sure. Skeletons that realize must rest and up back on their magic output. They need a lot of food to prepare for the skeleton key that will later form.</p><p>When the brewing starts, thin hair-like bones called 'fossil' will appear on the inner sides of the mother's ribs- they will then twist downwards like a tornado, taking the soulings down with them. The fossils will harden into a cocoon known as a 'skeleton key'. It is very hard- almost unbreakable. The mother will then find a safe place to rest and harden their own bones for a few weeks- and while not as hard as their key, their bones will be very strong during this period.</p><p>'Shin' the skeleton word for baby: Brewing last for two years(*3).</p><p>They come out nine inches long and are very soft. Over the next few hours, they go through a phase called 'blasting' where marrow can magic continually covers their tiny bones until they are about the size of a three-year-old (size comparing to human infant).</p><p>Shins learn to walk a few days after brewing and follow their mother around.</p><p>Shins will remain never grow- however, after six years of being shins they will enter into a different stage through 'blasting' off again. The blasting this time will crack their bones open and liquid bone the colour of the magic would pour out, completely covering their existing bones. This hardens into the larger bones.</p><p>'Skully' the skeleton word for child.<br/>After the blasting of the shin, skullies appear. They are the size of ten-year-old children. This period will determine what kind of magic they will grow into- depending on training, experience and love. They will remain as a skully for eight years when they will have their next blasting stage.</p><p>'Lesser Skeleton' or 'Lesser' the skeleton word for teenager.</p><p>After this blasting, the size of the lesser skeleton will vary greatly. This is also the time when they will move away from their mother's care.<br/>They will have their last blasting around four to five years and become 'skeletons'; whatever size they blast into will mainly how they will remain for their lifetime (*4).</p><p> </p><p>(*1. Also to be noted, some skeleton has been known to breed without a mate.)<br/>(*2. For a skeleton without a mate, this could take anywhere from three to twenty years)<br/>(*3. For a skeleton that breeds without a partner, their brewing stage lasts ten years. They can only brew one at a time.)<br/>(*4. Unless they reach a higher form of skeleton monsters. Such as 'Higher Skeleton', 'Skeleton Lord', 'Skeleton King' or 'Skeleton Emperor'.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Extra #2: Tears</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Geno blinks against the rays of light. And then he smiles happily- surrounding him was his family and friends, all laughing under the heat of the sun.</p><p>The sun.</p><p>The skeleton turns his attention above; the baby blue colour spread across the vast heaven, there was not a cloud in sight- the ball of sun shone high in the afternoon sky.</p><p>Geno turns blinking as he watches his brother Papyrus, marching over to him with a proud look on his features.</p><p>Then the younger skeleton offers him a drink of cool pink lemonade- the former skeleton ghoul takes the glass out of the taller skeleton's hands. And looks to him, Geno sees his brother's hand wiggling in front of him, waiting eagerly for him to try it.</p><p>Looking to the pint glass he smiles; it was filled with ice, which was clicking and popping due to the heat and the red and white striped straw moves around because of this, water run down the side and drips off the base.</p><p>Geno brings to the glass closer to him, then takes hold of the glass and guide the straw to his jaws, he could smell the scent as he held it close, then takes a sip and hums in delight at the sweet-tasting lemon juice.</p><p>There was too much sugar. And the glass had watered down most of the lemon favour.</p><p>But Geno did not mind this- to him it was perfect.</p><p>Geno smiles bright, that morning he had watched Papyrus making the lemonade to share with their friends, he had been preparing it all morning. And he was more than willing to drink it no matter what it had tasted like.</p><p>Papyrus was standing over him, waiting for a sign of approval.</p><p>Geno and his other half, Sans who was seated on the deck chair next to him, both gave him a thumbs up.</p><p>Geno took another sip, happy at how much joy his brother had expressed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>XD ~ DX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Error blinks against the rays of light. And then his jaws drops the smile, losing the happiness that it once held- even if he was surrounded by his family and friends, who all laughing under the heat of the sun.</p><p>The sun.</p><p>The skeleton turns his attention above; the baby blue colour spread across the vast heaven, there was not a cloud in sight- the ball of sun shone high in the afternoon sky.</p><p>Blinking at his mate who was sitting opposite him, a single tear slowly went down Error's cheek... then more tears start pouring from his sockets.<br/><br/>The glitch pulls the glass away from his teeth and stares at the clear liquid that was inside the tall pint glass.</p><p>The taste had stirred something in his mind; he did not understand what it went... it felt like something was missing.</p><p>Error looks over at his mate Ink again, who was tilting his skull with question marks filling his sockets- he places his own drink down and goes over to him.</p><p>However, Error paid no attention to his mate's questions and took another sip from the glass, some of his tears got mixed in.</p><p>Lemonade became his new favourite drink that day forward.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Extra #3: Foreign</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Way before they were mates.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>There was a strange feeling that was bubbling under the surface of his other 'emotions'- Ink did not know which ones were making it. So he kept mixing and matching until he found something slightly the same.</p><p>But it was not the same.</p><p>So the artist tries to think back to when these 'feeling' started, or at least when he started noticing them.</p><p>When talking to Blue, Error's name was mentioned and there was a sudden pulse.</p><p>It was nice.</p><p>And he wanted that again</p><p>Thinking it was some kind of hate-related emotion for his enemy, he waits for Error to show himself. The problem was Error appeared at random times and getting into his Anti-Void was hard.</p><p>Ink blink down at his crashed enemy.</p><p>Ink had chosen to attack with a hug knowing that his enemy was fearful of touch.</p><p>After knocking the glitch down and hugging him to the point of crashing, Ink continues to hug him.</p><p>Now he lay there, staring at the ERROR signs and static slowly moving across those red sockets. The REBOOTING noise was kind of loud too.</p><p>But that foreign feeling had returned a hundred folds.</p><p>It overtook his 'happiness' or heightened it.</p><p>It was pulsing in his bones hotly, making him feel so good. Ink never wanted this feeling to end.</p><p>What was the name of this emotion? Which paints were causing it? How can he bottle it?</p><p>The ERROR blinks- his eyelights returning behind the floaters, that heavy static sound and the REBOOT bar was gone, only Error's normal static hum returned. </p><p> </p><p>And what was that sweet smell?</p><p> </p><p>Ink rattles against him, making the glitch aware of him being there. And roaring in static loudly at the nearest of the artist.</p><p>Error tries to push him off before he crashes again.</p><p>Ink hold on tightly, refusing to let go.</p><p>While he did not understand what this was, he knew that Error was bringing these 'feelings' out in his paints; so he had to keep him close. Playtime was over with the 'enemy', now it was time to make friends.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Extra #4: ------- Flowers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ink wanders aimlessly through many fields of flowers- in so many colours, shapes and sizes; all seemingly calling his name. The flowers kept whispering gently to him, promising him the love he wanted.</p><p> </p><p>Pushing through the flowers that spoke lovingly to him, he came upon an empty field.</p><p>Then he starts to walk towards the centre; he keeps glancing at his around him, he sees that this field is surrounded by all the flowers- that now seemed to be dancing for him.</p><p>As he makes his way towards the centre, he turns his gazes to the heavens above. Here he sees an overly large broken planet with several moons and smaller rocks encircling it.</p><p> </p><p>Ink smiles brightly; all these moons and rocks were filled with colour in patches. And somehow, he knew that these colours were more flowers planted there.</p><p>But he was on the main moon- the biggest and brightest.</p><p>Ink did not know the reason for this, he just knew.</p><p> </p><p>Ink reaches the very centre... more flowers grew suddenly out of the dusty ground- these flowers were not like the rest, they seemed alien compared to the rest.</p><p>The had long tall stems, that looked like they were made from many pieces of strings fused together. The stems were a lovely shade of light blue, and the flower heads were three different colours; red, yellow and black. In the middle of the flowers, some thin string-like stamen float upwards as if reaching for the stars.</p><p> </p><p>Hurrying over Ink pushes against them, then pulling out his way to climb the close-knit flowers.</p><p>Ink recalls that there was only a few that came from the ground, but these flowers seemed to go on forever- they also seemed to be closing in on him, yet they were not hurting him. It felt like a lover's embrace.</p><p>So he just stops, smiling he closes his sockets and let the flowers wrap around his bones; those strange strings began encircling every one of his bones.</p><p> </p><p>Ink loved it.</p><p> </p><p>For some reason, his orbits snap open and in front of him he sees a skeleton hand of three different colours, coming from the strong like stems, reaching for him- it was so beautiful with its strange flickerings.</p><p>Ink moves away but only so he could take hold of that hand.</p><p>"*<strike>ink</strike>." A strange broken voice calls.</p><p> </p><p>With sharp gasp Ink quickly sat up, he was on his bed; he gazes around him in confusion, looking for someone, since it felt almost like someone should be there with him.</p><p>This was not the first time he dreamt of the flowers- it was the first time that hand appeared and that static voice.</p><p>Glancing down he sees that he was only half undressed for bed- he had been so exhausted that night, that he only just managed to get out of his shoes and his jacket that normally tied around his middle, his brown scarf, his vial belt sash and his dark blue scarf which he always wore under his sash.</p><p>Ink looks to the bed of the bed, his sash and scarves could be seen there- he then crawls to the end of the bed and grabs the blue scarf holding it to his face he breaths inwards. A scent of flowers washes over him.</p><p> </p><p>Ink did not remember where he has gotten the blue scarf from but he loved it and treated it with as much care as his vials.</p><p> </p><p>Taking it away he tosses one end of his shoulder and let it drop to the bottom of his back where he grabs it; then he brings the other end that was around his front and joined it to one at the back.</p><p>Once on, he grabs his belt sash and did the same thing- he adjusted it so that the blue was showing.</p><p>Then he goes for his own brown scarf and carefully wraps it around his neck. He reaches for his jacket and pulls it behind his rear, then ties the sleeves in front.</p><p> </p><p>Grinning boldly he touches the blue scarf under the sash. Then grabs his brown scarf's end and bring it up to read some of the contains.</p><p>He had written before about the flower dreams. He has asked Dream about it, who looked into his dreams and found the field of flowers but could not translate it for him. Then said something that confused Ink.</p><p> </p><p>"*It feels almost like a memory." Dream had said looking very worried, "Perhaps it is best left forgotten. There is something painful towards the end that your mind has blocked."</p><p> </p><p>Ink glances down at his left hand- on his pinky was a blue string wrapped around it, it pulses with unfamiliar magic. Like with the dream, he went to others to ask if they knew anything about this.</p><p> </p><p>No one knew of the string... which was the same blue as those flowers.</p><p> </p><p>Ink frowns deeply, wondering if this was what was causing the dreams. A thought of cutting the string off his finger appears in his mind, but for some reason, he did not like that idea at all.</p><p> </p><p>With a shrug Ink quickly pulls on his shoes and he was dressed for the day. The artist could only hope he would find the answers he was looking for about the strange flowers.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Extra #5: Precious Treasure</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>The ERROR sat on his beanie bag, his mate kneeling next, his knees digging into the sides; he was looking strangely at the creature that had appeared.</p><p>Error's skull was covered in sweat, tears and strings drip from his sockets, causing him to keep having to blink them away until Ink showed him a little mercy by pulling some of the strings out.</p><p>The artist then places the red rim rounded glasses over his mate's sockets, allowing him to get a better look.</p><p> </p><p>The glitch stares down in amazement, then grins proudly- in his arms was a tiny little skeleton known as a shin. It had yet to start his blasting into his next stage.</p><p>But what was clear- it was the image of Ink... apart from one thing.</p><p> </p><p>All colours were backwards.</p><p> </p><p>For whatever part was white on Ink, on the shin was pure black and for whichever part was black on Ink was solid white on the shin- its white ink blob was on the wrong side, on its left, instead of the right like Ink's.</p><p>The sockets were filled with white with a small black eyelights, that did not change shape or colour. The teeth were white thankfully.</p><p>Error turns to Ink, who was staring down at the babe with mild interest, he leans over and tries to poke it on the skull, only to be blocked by his mate.</p><p> </p><p>"*don't do that! shins are still soft for the first few hours!" Error hisses at him, shielding the shin from it father, "i told you this a hundred times!"</p><p>Ink tilts his skull and grabbing then end of his scarf, looks through the written words.</p><p>"*OH yeah! Here it is!" Ink says with a smile, "Sorry!"</p><p> </p><p>Error glares at him for a moment, then sighs and leans back into his beanie bag that was in the middle of his flower field, he happily looks to the broken planet above and then beyond to the stars.</p><p>"*thanks ink" Error said loudly as his mate settles down beside him.</p><p>"*For what?" Ink questions in confusion, he smiles at Error and decides to poke his hubby's skull instead.</p><p>"*for the child." Error answers looking down at the helpless young, "i kept your promise to me."</p><p>Ink smiles and pushes himself against Error's side, wiggling a leg behind his back and wrapping his arms around the glitch's shoulders to hug.</p><p>"So~ Name?" Ink asks while rubbing himself against his rub for attention, "You said you was going to pick after you saw what it looked like."</p><p>"*yeah. i have one." Error says with a bold grin, "inking mistake."</p><p>"Inking Mistake? Inking Mistake." Ink hums loudly in Error's 'ears' making him glare at the artist, "Its good! I might just call it Mistake though!"</p><p>"*mm. i'll call it by its full name until its older. i'd call it inking." Error told him smiling, he leans back and turns his skull to rub his cheek against Ink's, "look ink. we made this."</p><p>Ink tilts his skull, then gazes down at the little creature which had a SOUL.</p><p> </p><p>"*did ya know that it is thought once. that like the flowers that grow like the love of the soul." Error says turning to little shin once more, sockets filled with tender care, "that offspring was the same."</p><p>Ink did not know what Error was talking about but nods anyway.</p><p> </p><p>"*ink. this shin is proof of our love." Error explains staring lovingly at the tiny skeleton, who opens his little sockets and stared back at its mother, as if it could feel the intense love pouring from Error's SOUL, for it.</p><p>Ink froze, making Error almost think he had a crash.</p><p> </p><p>"*Proof of our love?" Ink said with a little more interest than before, he had not wanted a child, it would only take Error's attention off of him. However, it was only for a limited time, so that was fine.</p><p>"*yeah. our love. our precious treasure." Error says bringing the shin up and carefully and gently rubs his cheek against the little one.</p><p> </p><p>The pair sat in silence both mates thinking of their new future together.</p><p> </p><p>Ink suddenly did not mind it- him. His son, Inking Mistake. The artist grins boldly and wiggles a finger in front of the little one's sight, who blinks at it.</p><p>Error smiles happily at his mate, glad that at least he was making an effect.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0043"><h2>43. Extra #6: Waiting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ink knew he was waiting for something, he just did not know what... he gazes down at the Void.</p><p> </p><p>If anyone should fell down they and the memories of them would vanish.</p><p> </p><p>Ink reaches for the blue scarf he keeps under his vial sash belt. The one that always smelled of many different flowers...</p><p> </p><p>What was he waiting for?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0044"><h2>44. Extra #7: Spiral</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The ERROR would never admit it- no matter what anyone said or did, he would never admit it.</p><p> </p><p>-deep within his heart, he allowed himself to acknowledge the truth:</p><p><br/>Error liked Ink's eyelights.</p><p> </p><p>Those ever-changing eyelights that flicker through with different colours.</p><p> </p><p>The glitch will never ever admit... that the spiral shape was his favourite.</p><p> </p><p>There was just something funny about it and each time he noticed it, that shape always made his jaws go up in a smile.</p><p>The main thing was, Ink's eyelights shifts with every blink, so it was rare to get a real good look at them.</p><p> </p><p>However, there were moments when they appeared to be stuck on one shape.</p><p> </p><p>Error grins at the green and yellow spiral shapes that were in the artist's sockets, they had remained there for a minute now- the longest he had ever seen them.</p><p>On noticing the glitch's stare, Ink tilts his skull and questions marks that the spiral's place, making that grin drop.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0045"><h2>45. Extra #8: Keeping a Secret</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was no secret.</p><p>It was no secret that the Destroyer of World's voice was ... wrong.</p><p>Everyone that knew the ERROR, they knew that he had a glitched up voice audio.</p><p>It went changes tones, went up and down in a pitch and froze and lagged in places.</p><p>No two same words would ever sound the same- not even two syllables were pronounced the same.</p><p> </p><p>So it was understandable that the glitch would not sing... </p><p> </p><p>-while in the presence of others.</p><p> </p><p><br/>Ink discovered a rare noise.</p><p> </p><p>“*got a secret. Can ya keep it?” Error lagging voices echo through the Waterfalls.</p><p>Ink peeks around the rocks, staring in wonder.</p><p>”*swear this one you'll save,” The voice went high, breaking in parts and overlapped in another point, “better lock it, in your pocket.”</p><p> </p><p>Error’s whole form was aglow with blue from the Echo flowers that filled the area, giving him an unworldly look.</p><p> </p><p>“*taking this one to the grave.” The ERROR continues on, his orbits closed and his face was turned to the waterfall, droplets on the water were hitting him slightly, making him glitch.</p><p>Ink tilts his skull, his sockets filled question marks at the words he was now listening to fully.</p><p>”*if i show you then i know you.” Error sang on, his volume jumped at the wrong time and broke up the words, “won't tell what I said.”</p><p> </p><p>Ink had a secret...</p><p> </p><p>”*’cause two can keep a secret.” Error goes on completely unaware of the artist’s stare, “if one of them is dead?”</p><p> </p><p>...he loved the sound of Error’s voice.</p>
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